Primary Care Networks
Whether you're a Primary Care Network Clinical Director, or a local pharmacist looking to work more closely with your local GP practices, this is the place to find out all about what Community Pharmacy can do in collaboration with our other primary care colleagues.
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan, with general practices and community pharmacies being a part of a network, typically covering 30,000-50,000 patients. The networks will provide the structure and funding for services to be developed locally, in response to the needs of the patients they serve.
The networks will have expanded neighbourhood teams which will comprise a range of staff such as GPs, clinical pharmacists, district nurses, community geriatricians, dementia workers and Allied Health Professionals such as physiotherapists and podiatrists/chiropodists, joined by social care and the voluntary sector’.
Future of Community Pharmacy
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) will bring health & care professionals together to provide joined-up primary and community-based care in line with the NHS Long Term Plan. Unlike previous plans the role of Community Pharmacy features heavily. Our contribution and our potential have been recognised.
This NHS England film below outlines more
Why do community pharmacy contractors need to engage?
You will have greater control and influence over local medicine optimisation decisions by engaging in PCNs.
PCNs gives you the potential to take on a greater paid role of managing patient’s condition locally and develop existing service… maximising your income potential.
PCNs will be the local focus for primary care provision & potential future local sub-contracting, getting involved now helps secure your future.
PCNs will bring opportunities Community Pharmacy, but only via if you engage, collectively with other pharmacies. The time of collaborative working as opposed to competition is upon us.
The role of community pharmacy PCN Lead
Act in good faith, for the benefit of all NHS community pharmacy contractors in the PCN
Provide leadership for the community pharmacies in the PCN to help them develop and implement a collaborative approach to engagement with the PCN
Work closely with the key members of staff of the other pharmacies in the PCN to discuss and describe how community pharmacy can support the PCN to achieve local targets, aligned to national NHS priorities
Develop relationships and work closely with the PCN clinical director, other community pharmacy PCN Leads, clinical leaders of other primary care providers, health and social care providers, local commissioners and the LPC
Manage and declare any conflicts of interest and maintain the confidentiality of any PCN information, as appropriate
Provide regular and timely reports on relevant developments within the PCN to contractors in the PCN area and the LPC
Adhere to any general guidance on the role of the community pharmacy PCN Lead issued by PSNC and/or NHS England and NHS Improvement
Only make decisions on behalf of other community pharmacy contractors in the PCN area with the agreement of all those contractors.
Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS)
PCN Prevention
Contractor must engage with PCN Lead to communicate they would like to get involved in increasing the uptake of influenza vaccinations to patients 65 and over e.g. copy of emails or messages to PCN Lead could be kept as evidence.Contractor to provide information of PCN Lead when declaring on MYS portal.
Keep as evidence the number of over 65 influenza vaccinations carried out by contractor per month in 2019/2020 season and 2020/2021 season to show an increase in vaccinations given.
PCN- Business Continuity
Contractors to ensure they have a business continuity plan in place and ensure these are communicated with the PCN Lead to facilitate a coordinated response with other contractors and Gp’s if a temporary closure occurred. Copy of BCP as evidence and document of conversations with or email sent to PCN Lead
For this domain PCN Leads will need to engage with the Clinical Director as well as engaging with pharmacies. The LPC will be facilitating some of this to help Leads and Pharmacies achieve their points in this domain. Please keep an eye out for communication from your PCN Lead.
Further resources
· Primary Care Networks (PCNs) : PSNC Main site
PSNC Briefing 030/20: Pharmacy Quality Scheme – Guidance for LPCs on the Primary Care Network domains
PSNC Briefing 031/20: Pharmacy Quality Scheme- Guidance for pharmacy contractors on the PCN domains
PSNC Briefing 032/20: Pharmacy Quality Scheme- Guidance for Pharmacy PCN Leads on the Primary Care Network domains
North of Tyne LPC support for our PCN leads....
Held 2 x virtual training sessions in July. Excellent attendance (16/17 95%), excellent feedback- successful, provided leads with direction and drive.
Provided follow up training support materials- focusing on key areas identified as areas of concern- engagement and communication.