Since the NHS was created in 1948, our health needs have changed. People are living longer, and more of us are managing long-term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or mental health challenges. This means many people need regular access to their local health services.
To meet these needs, GP practices now work more closely together — alongside community services, mental health teams, pharmacies, hospitals, social care and voluntary organisations. These partnerships are called Primary Care Networks (PCNs).
PCNs build on the strengths of traditional GP services, while enabling care to be more:
- Proactive – focusing on preventing illness and supporting healthier living.
- Personalised – tailoring care to each person’s circumstances.
- Coordinated – ensuring different services work together smoothly.
- Local – delivered closer to home, within the communities people know.
Each of the 1,250 PCNs across England usually serves a community of 30,000–50,000 people. They are large enough to benefit from shared expertise and resources, but small enough to retain the personal care valued by patients and GPs.
Every PCN is led by a Clinical Director (a GP, nurse, pharmacist or other senior clinician), who brings practices and partners together to improve care in their local area.