Working in Partnership – for Happier, Healthier Lives
Primary Care Networks
City and Hackney has eight primary care networks (PCN). Each one has up to seven surgeries. All our 39 City and Hackney GP Confederation member practices also work closely together as members of their local PCN group.
GP practices across the country are organised into Primary Care Networks. A primary care network brings together health and social care services, for people in a local area of between 30-50,000 people. GP practices, community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital, and voluntary services, all work together in each PCN to care for the people in their PCN area.
It gives residents access to a bigger group of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and specialist healthcare professionals. People can get appointments at other local surgeries and hub clinics in their local PCN, as well as their own. Practices can be open for longer periods. Specialist treatments and routine tests, such as ultrasound or blood tests, can be delivered in clinics close to home rather than in hospital.
Take a quick look at how we’re working together to help local people across our City and Hackney Primary Care Networks to live happier, healthier lives.
- Hackney Downs Network has four practices which are looking at creating virtual Patient Participation Groups, so that they can hear what their patients think about their services.
- All the Networks except one have now employed a Clinical Pharmacist to help all the practices with medications.
- From early July, there will be a Physiotherapy service for patients in Hackney Marshes Network – and all Networks will get this over the next few months.
- Every Network is now holding a regular multi-disciplinary meeting, to review the patients who are most in need of care, so that health and social care professionals can work together more closely to provide a more collaborative service.
- Well Street Common Network has employed a Physicians Associate to support the GPs working in those practices.
Neighbourhoods
Each PCN is at the heart of one of the eight City and Hackney Neighbourhoods which serve the same geographic areas. Neighbourhoods are part of a national scheme which also brings together health and social care with local authorities and wider community and voluntary services. Working together in this integrated care approach means patients can access all the services available to them in a co-ordinated, consistent way. It means patients do not have to deal with multiple services to get explain what they need and get support.
Teams working together in PCNs and Neighbourhoods all know the area, the people and each other. They can share information about patients and the services available locally, learn together and work together, to give a better service to their immediate local patient population.
Shoreditch Park & City PCN
Five of the GP practices within City and Hackney have joined together to form the Shoreditch Park & City Primary Care Network (PCN). PCNs are a key part of the NHS to develop services locally, focusing on the specific needs of the local population. Their aim is to enable better access for everyone living in the Shoreditch Park and City area, to the right care and support, at the right time.
The 5 GP practices comprise of Shoreditch Park Surgery, De Beauvoir Surgery, The Hoxton Surgery, The Lawson Practice, and The Neaman Practice (City).
Please see their website for more information on the services and important local projects they are working on.