A Primary Care Network - often shortened as PCN - is a group of GP practices based in a local community.

Typically, it’s between 5 to 10 GP practices covering patient population of 30,000 to 50,000.

A PCN encourages GP practices within the network to share their expertise and resources, and develop closer partnerships with community health providers, hospitals, mental health trusts, community pharmacy and voluntary organisations.

Our network is called Canalside and currently comprises of 6 local practices.

Partnership working enables patients to access additional health services provided within the PCN GP practices.

Patients will receive more personalised care as clinicians will be able to refer them to appropriate non-clinical services in the community including voluntary organisations.

• First Contact Practitioner for muskuloskeletal symptoms.
• Enhanced access appointments in the evening and weekends.
• Dietitian
• Mental Health Practitioner
• Pharmacists for medication reviews
• Fraility Team 
• Social Prescribing

To ensure continuity of care within the PCN GP practices and other organisations that are involved in patients’ care, the PCN must ensure that appropriate data sharing arrangements are in place and comply with the General Data Protection Regulations.

If you have not already given your consent, your GP practice will ask for your permission to share summary medical record with the PCN GP practices and allied health service providers.

You have the right to restrict or object to sharing your personal data.

A PCN can be a great opportunity to improve quality and access to health services for your local community.

If you would like to influence how services are being developed and delivered at GP practice or PCN level, join your GP practice patient participation group or ask how else you can get involved.

Canalside PCN is made up of the following practices:

• Wellfield Health Centre
• Castleton Health Centre
• The Hive Health Centre
• The Kinsgway Practice
• Kirkholt Medical Practice
• Middleton Health Centre 
• Dr Hamid's Practice