A primary care network is a group of practices who work together to focus on local patient care. They’ve been around since 2019 and 99 per cent of practices across England now work as part of one.
With increased demand and a shortage of clinical staff, practices find they can provide greater, more personalised care for patients when they can work together on certain services or issues.
Take a look at this short animation from NHS England which explains how they work.
Take a look at this short animation from NHS England which explains how they work.
Meet Our Team
Leadership Team
Dr Zahid Ahmed
Clinical Director
MBBS MRCS MRCGP
GP Partner (North Trafford Group Practice)
Dr Farrah Sheikh
Clinical Director
MBChB, MRCGP, DFRSH, DRCOG
GP Partner (Delamere Medical Practice)
Yasir Ali
PCN Business Manager / Digital & Transformation Lead
Additional Roles (ARRS) working across our practices
Physician associates
Physician associates are healthcare professionals, with a generalist clinical education, who work alongside GPs to provide care as part of the multidisciplinary team. They provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking and clinical assessment through to diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation. Whilst physician associates currently do not have prescribing rights, they can prepare prescriptions for GPs to sign.
Physician associates provide a holistic and clinical service, with support from GPs as required, implementing agreed management plans, and following approved protocols as appropriate.
First contact physiotherapists
First contact practitioner physiotherapists are qualified autonomous clinical practitioners who can assess, diagnose, treat, and manage musculoskeletal problems and undifferentiated conditions. Where appropriate, they are also able to discharge a person without a medical referral. First contact practitioner physiotherapists working in this role can be accessed directly by patients, or via referral from other members of staff. They can establish a rapid and accurate diagnosis and management plan to streamline pathways of care.
Clinical pharmacists work in primary care in a patient facing role to clinically assess and treat patients using their expert knowledge of medicines. They will be prescribers, or if not, are working to complete an independent prescribing qualification following completion of an approved 18-training pathway or equivalent. They work with and alongside the general practice team, taking responsibility for patients with chronic diseases and undertaking structured medication reviews to proactively manage people with complex polypharmacy, especially for the elderly, people in care homes and those with multiple comorbidities.
Pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technicians complement the work of clinical pharmacists, through utilisation of their technical skillset. Their deployment within primary care settings allows the application of their acquired pharmaceutical knowledge in tasks such as medicines reconciliation, audits, prescription management support, and where appropriate, advising patients and other members of the PCN workforce.
Paramedics
A paramedic in primary care can provide a rapid response to deteriorating patients and patients with long-term conditions, minor injuries, and minor illness. They can also support patients who require wound care, have fallen, have musculoskeletal problems, and have urinary tract or respiratory infections. Paramedics can supply a range of medicines through patient group directions, including antibiotics and analgesics.
Paramedics can support PCNs in responding to on the day demand by offering telephone triage or undertaking home visiting. They can also support PCNs to improve access to care by managing minor ailments and seeing patients in care homes.
Nursing associates and trainee nursing associates
Nursing associates deliver hands-on, person-centred care as part of the nursing team and support registered nurses to focus on the more complex clinical care. Nursing associate roles include performing and recording clinical observations (for example, blood pressure, temperature, respirations, and pulse), and performing clinical health checks.
Trainee nursing associates will develop the skills and knowledge, over the course of a two-year programme (for example, apprenticeship, foundation degree) to deliver high quality and compassionate care. They deliver specific clinical tasks and direct care to patients and families, under the direction of a registered nursing associate (or other registered care professional). Through their training they will develop an understanding of caring and supporting people with complex conditions such as dementia, mental health conditions, and learning disabilities. Trainee nursing associates upon completion of training can register as a nursing associate with The Nursing and Midwifery Council.
General practice assistants deliver a combination of routine administrative tasks and some basic clinical duties in the general practice setting. Their focus is on supporting GPs in their day-to-day management of patients, specifically aimed at reducing the administrative burden and making best use of consultations. Administrative support includes letters, completing forms for GPs to sign, and explaining procedures to patients prior to appointments. Examples of clinical support include referrals, arranging follow up appointments, and conducting simple clinical observations.
Digital and transformation lead
Digital and transformation leads support increased access to care for patients, through the adoption of new technology and other initiatives to improve the care offer. This enables PCN staff to work more effectively and improves the sustainability of general practice services. Digital and transformation leads can:
Develop strategic plans to optimise the use of clinical systems and build a robust digital infrastructure for PCNs working on a range of digital transformation projects such as the use of cloud telephony, digital triage, online signposting, social media, digital wayfinding, promotion of the NHS App.
Deliver broader transformation projects to:
improve access to care and support the adoption of population health management
drive operational efficiency
enhance staff experience.
They support the adoption of national and local initiatives, including integrated working at neighborhood and place level to improve access to services for patients.
Social Prescriber Link Worker
Social prescribing link workers connect people to community-based support, including activities and services that meet practical, social, and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. This includes connecting people to statutory services for example housing, financial and welfare advice.
Social prescribing works particularly well for people with low level mental health needs, who feel lonely or isolated, with long term conditions and complex social needs.
Social prescribing link workers work collaboratively across the health and care system, targeting populations with greatest need and risk of health inequalities. They collaborate with partners to identify gaps in provision and support community offers to be accessible and sustainable.
