What is a Primary Care Network?

Primary Care Networks (PCN) offer a new way of organising care, bringing together all local health and care services in a local area to deliver more joined up care to local populations (usually covering around 50,000 people)

Our PCN Includes:

• • GP Extended services

• • Pharmacists

• • Social Prescribers

• • Mental health services

• • Integrated Neighbourhood Team

• • Emergency Care Practitioners

• • MSK Physios

NHS Long Term Plan

 

The majority of PCNs were set up in July 2019 as a response to the NHS Long Term Plan published in January 2019, which proposed a new way of delivering health and care services. It has been driven by the need to create a more joined-up, less fragmented approach to health and care, making it more personal and closer to where they live.

What can you expect from your PCN?

Our PCN is known as the SS9 South PCN and comprises a group of practices (Highlands Surgery and Pall Mall Surgery). Additional healthcare professionals are being recruited to work on behalf of Primary Care Networks.  New roles include Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Pharmacists, Mental Health professionals and Social Prescribing Link Workers.  By introducing a greater skill mix, local people will get more access to the support they need to keep people healthy and independent.

The aim is to deliver better health outcomes for the local population, as well as a reduction in health inequalities.

In the future, we will also see doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals working collectively to try to anticipate a patient’s needs, with stronger emphasis on preventative medicine.

Extended Access

From Saturday 1 October 2022, out-of-hours appointments will be available from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

An out-of-hours appointment might not be at your regular GP surgery. When you book an appointment, you will be told where the appointment will be.

These appointments will not be available as walk-in appointments. You will need to book them in advance.

To book an out-of-hours appointment, you should contact your regular GP practice in the usual way. They will advise you on the appointments which are available, and which healthcare professional is the right person to help you.

If an out of hours appointment needs to be cancelled, please contact your surgery unless it is a Saturday then please call 07513094494 for cancellation only.

If you need medical help now but it’s not an emergency, you can also go to 111 online or call 111.

 

Social prescribing link worker

A social prescribing link worker helps connect patients to community resources and non-clinical support services to address non-medical issues impacting their wellbeing, such as:

• • Loneliness

• • Mental health

• • Finances

• • Housing

They empower patients to take control of their health and make positive lifestyle changes.

Services offered:

• • Coping with chronic conditions

• • Mental health and emotional support

• • Relationship/domestic abuse counselling

• • Loneliness/social isolation

• • Self-esteem and confidence building

• • Housing and financial advice

• • Caregiver support

• • Bereavement counselling

• • Health coaching (weight, nutrition, smoking, exercise)

• • Benefits for patients and practices

• • Addresses social determinants of health

• • Reduces reliance on medications

• • Decreases GP visits for non-medical issues

• • Enhances overall patient wellbeing

 

Access

Patients 18+ can be referred by their GP if presenting with non-clinical needs impacting health. You can now also self-refer to the social prescribing service, if you feel this service would make a positive impact on your health, then please email: [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible, to offer our services to your needs.

Link workers meet referred patients, assess requirements, and connect them to the relevant community services.