Primary Care Networks
Since the NHS was created in 1948, the population has grown and people are living longer. Many people are living with long term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease or suffer with mental health issues and may need to access their local health services more often.
To meet these needs, GP practices are working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local areas in groups of practices known as primary care networks (PCNs).
PCNs build on existing primary care services and enable greater provision of proactive, personalised, coordinated and more integrated health and social care for people close to home. Clinicians describe this as a change from reactively providing appointments to proactively caring for the people and communities they serve.
Each of the 1,250 PCNs across England are based on GP registered patient lists, typically serving natural communities of between 30,000 to 50,000 people (with some flexibility). They are small enough to provide the personal care valued by both people and GPs, but large enough to have impact and economies of scale through better collaboration between GP practices and others in the local health and social care system.
Our PCN is called Docklands Primary Care Network (https://www.docklandspcn.nhs.uk/), and is made up of three practices in and around Beckton. The Practices are:
- Tollgate Medical Centre
- Royal Docks Medical Practice
- E16 Practice
We are working collaboratively, with a view to offering local services available for our patient communities, and to deliver targeted healthcare to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients.
Here is a short animation about Primary Care Networks and how they can benefit you.
Our Network is providing access and hours for patients with additional appointments in the morning, evening and weekends, including appointments with GPs, Nurses, and physiotherapists and Network Pharmacists. These are in addition to our normal opening hours of 8:30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.
These evening and weekend appointments may take place by phone, video, or face-to-face depending on your clinical need.
Do be aware that the appointment may be at Tollgate, another local GP practice or another local NHS service. This is because we are working within our Network to provide these appointments.