Report to:

East Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC)

 

Date of meeting:

 

21 September 2023

By:

Assistant Chief Executive

 

Title:

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) update

 

Purpose:

To provide an update on PCN performance and the services they provide in East Sussex.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Committee is recommended to:

1)    consider and comment on the report; and

 

2)    identify if there are any areas it wishes to scrutinise further and add to the future work programme.

 

1.            Background

1.1.        The Health Overview Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) has received a number of reports at its previous meetings which explored primary care services, including an overview of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) at its meeting in March 2023. At that meeting the HOSC requested an update report on PCN development and performance be brought to this meeting.

1.2.        This further report covers a number of areas which the HOSC asked about when it considered the report at its March meeting, as well as developments that have taken place since the last report.

2.            Supporting information

2.1.        PCNs are groupings of local neighbouring general practices that are a mechanism for sharing staff and collaborating while maintaining the independence of individual practices. These groupings started from 1 July 2019 and there are 12 PCNs in East Sussex, covering everyone in the county.

2.2.        PCNs require existing providers of general practice to work together and to share funds on a scale not previously seen in UK general practice, with additional national funding being made available to employ Additional Roles Reimbursement staff (ARRS), to deliver services to patients across the member practices. PCNs are not statutory bodies in themselves, however a number of Primary Care Networks nationally have opted to become legal entities.

2.3.        The report, which is attached as Appendix 1, includes details on:

·         PCN structure and governance

·         PCN contractual responsibilities and services

·         Progress on PCNs in East Sussex since the March HOSC report (including the Enhanced Access Hours service)

·         Workforce update, including ARRs overview

·         East Sussex PCN activity and audit

·         PCN participation in Armed Forces Covenant

 

 

3.         Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1       The HOSC is recommended to note the report and consider whether it would like to add any future updates on PCNs to its work programme.

 

PHILIP BAKER
Assistant Chief Executive

Contact Officer: Patrick Major, Scrutiny and Policy Support Officer
Tel. No. 01273 335133
Email: patrick.major@eastsussex.gov.uk