PCN Services
Services that we provide
Enhanced Access
Evening and weekend services
PCN Enhanced Access is aimed at improving access to primary care services. This initiative is part of broader efforts to ensure patients can more easily access general practice services and other primary care resources.
Practices within a PCN collaborate to offer services outside of typical working hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate patients’ schedules.
Our enhanced access hours are 6.30pm to 8pm weekdays and 9am-5pm on Saturdays. Appointments are bookable in advance and are available through your registered practice reception lines.
All practices have access to book appointments in enhanced access hours, but not all practices deliver the appointments at all times/days. Patients will be directed to the most appropriate location for their preferred appointment type/time.
All practices have access to book appointments in enhanced access hours, but not all practices deliver the appointments at all times/days. Patients will be directed to the most appropriate location for their preferred appointment type/time.
PCN Services
ARR Roles
ARR (Additional Roles Reimbursement) roles aims to expand the workforce within primary care by providing funding to employ a variety of healthcare professionals. These roles are intended to complement the work of GPs and practice nurses, enhancing the range and quality of services available to patients. Here are some of the key ARR roles:
Clinical Pharmacists
They work directly with patients to manage long-term conditions, conduct medication reviews, and provide expert advice on medicines.
Social Prescribing Link Workers
They connect patients with non-medical support in the community, such as social activities, exercise programs, and housing advice, to improve their overall wellbeing.
First Contact Physiotherapists
They provide initial assessment and management of musculoskeletal conditions, reducing the need for GP consultations for these issues.
Physician Associates
They support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients, carrying out physical examinations, diagnosing illnesses, and interpreting test results.
Dieticians
They provide expert dietary advice to patients, helping to manage conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Mental Health Practitioner
They offer support and treatment for patients with mental health conditions, working alongside GPs to provide holistic care.
Care Co-ordinators
They help to manage and coordinate care for patients with complex needs, ensuring that they receive appropriate services and support.
Health & Wellbeing Coaches
They work with patients to set and achieve health-related goals, promoting healthier lifestyles and self-management of conditions.
Meet the Teams of the PCN
Care Homes
Enhanced Health in Care Homes is part of the NHS’s effort to improve the health and care of residents in care homes. The EHCH model aims to provide proactive, coordinated, and comprehensive care to residents, leveraging the collaborative approach of PCNs. These are some key aspects of the PCN EHCH initiative:
Enhanced Primary Care Support
PCNs work to ensure that care home residents have regular access to GP services, including routine visits, medication reviews, and health assessments. This proactive approach helps in early identification and management of health issues.
Personalized Care and Support Plans
– Residents receive personalized care plans tailored to their individual health needs and preferences. These plans are developed collaboratively with input from the resident, their family, and healthcare professionals, ensuring that care is person-centered and holistic.
Access to Urgent Care
The EHCH model ensures that care home residents have timely access to urgent care services when needed, helping to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and ensuring that acute health issues are addressed promptly
Medication Reviews
Regular medication reviews are conducted by clinical pharmacists to optimize medication use, reduce polypharmacy risks, and ensure that residents are receiving the most appropriate treatments.
Care Homes
Enhanced Health in Care Homes is part of the NHS’s effort to improve the health and care of residents in care homes. The EHCH model aims to provide proactive, coordinated, and comprehensive care to residents, leveraging the collaborative approach of PCNs. These are some key aspects of the PCN EHCH initiative:
1. Enhanced Primary
Care Support
PCNs work to ensure that care home residents have regular access to GP services, including routine visits, medication reviews, and health assessments. This proactive approach helps in early identification and management of health issues.
2. Personalized Care and Support Plans
Residents receive personalized care plans tailored to their individual health needs and preferences. These plans are developed collaboratively with input from the resident, their family, and healthcare professionals, ensuring that care is person-centred and holistic.
3. Access to
Urgent Care
The EHCH model ensures that care home residents have timely access to urgent care services when needed, helping to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and ensuring that acute health issues are addressed promptly.
4. Medication Reviews
Regular medication reviews are conducted by clinical pharmacists to optimize medication use, reduce polypharmacy risks, and ensure that residents are receiving the most appropriate treatments.
COVID-19 Information
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) played a crucial role in the COVID-19 vaccination program in the UK. Their involvement was instrumental in the rapid and efficient rollout of vaccines to the population in 2020. PCNs coordinated the vaccination efforts within their respective areas, organizing clinics and vaccination sites. This included setting up vaccination centres in GP practices, community centres, and other suitable locations.
Overall, the involvement of PCNs in the COVID-19 vaccination program was vital for its success. Their local knowledge, established patient relationships, and integrated care approach allowed for an effective and efficient vaccination rollout, significantly contributing to the public health response to the pandemic.
Our Aims
PCN Capacity and Access refers to the initiatives and strategies implemented by Primary Care Networks to enhance the ability of primary care services to meet patient demand and ensure timely access to healthcare. This involves various measures to expand capacity, improve efficiency, and ensure that patients can access the care they need when they need it. Key components include:
- Evening and Weekend Appointments: PCNs offer appointments outside of regular working hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate patients’ schedules.
- Online Consultations: Utilization of digital platforms for remote consultations, allowing patients to have virtual appointments with healthcare providers.
- Telephone Triage: Implementing telephone triage systems to manage patient flow and ensure that those needing urgent care are prioritized.
- Diverse Workforce: Employing a range of healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists, physiotherapists, mental health workers, and social prescribers, to provide a broader spectrum of care.
- Training and Development: Investing in the training and development of staff to enhance their skills and expand the range of services they can provide.
- Integration with Secondary Care: Working closely with secondary care providers to streamline patient pathways and reduce unnecessary referrals.
- Community Partnerships: Collaborating with local community organizations and social care providers to support holistic patient care.
- Personalized Care Plans: Developing personalized care plans that consider patients’ individual health needs and preferences.
- Patient Engagement: Involving patients in decisions about their care and encouraging self-management where appropriate.
By focusing on these areas, PCNs aim to enhance their capacity to meet patient needs, reduce wait times, and improve overall access to primary care services. These efforts contribute to a more efficient, responsive, and patient-centred healthcare system.
Cancer Care
What is Cancer?
Cancer is when abnormal cells divide in an uncontrolled way, growing and reproducing in a specific part of the body. Some cancers may eventually spread within the body, invading and destroying surrounding healthy tissue, including organs.
Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
Spotting cancer at an early stage saves lives – so tell your doctor if you notice anything that isn’t normal for you. You don’t need to try to remember all the signs and symptoms of cancer; listen to your body and talk to your doctor if you notice anything that isn’t normal for you.
Signs and symptoms are more often caused by something less serious than cancer, but if it is cancer spotting it early can make a big difference.
1 in 2 people may develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. According to the NHS, in the UK, the 5 most common types of cancer are:
How We Can Help
Our Cancer Care Coordinator, Alex Jones, works with patients to improve the uptake of cancer screening, facilitate early diagnosis, and help people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Her aim is to provide a support service to cancer patients right from the start, throughout treatment, and beyond, offering a dedicated Cancer Care Review appointment within 3 months of diagnosis (Cancer Care Reviews in Primary Care | Macmillan Cancer Support ).
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for Weight Management
It was announced on 23 June 2025 that, following NICE approval, people living with obesity will be able to access tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight loss in primary care settings. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) will only be available on the NHS for eligible patients who meet the strict, nationally set criteria. Anyone not meeting these criteria will not be eligible for assessment in the first year of the drug being available.
This announcement does not mean prescriptions will be provided immediately to all eligible patients in GP practices across the country; please do not contact your GP. If you are eligible for assessment, you will be contacted over the coming months and invited to attend an assessment appointment. Those with the greatest clinical need will be contacted first, so you may have to wait a little longer for an appointment. It is our intention that anyone who meets the criteria within Cohort 1 will be invited for an assessment within the next few months.
Weight management services are locally commissioned and funded at the Integrated Care Board (ICB) level, so services will differ across some areas. For South East Shropshire Patients, access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro) will initially be through specialist weight management services provided by Shropshire GP Collaborative. The service will be provided via General Practice ‘hubs’, which means you may be asked to attend a location that is not your normal GP practice, but will still be accessible. GP practices have been asked to work together to ensure that you have better access to the specialist skills needed to deliver a holistic lifestyle assessment. The hubs will be managed by clinicians from your local ‘primary care network (PCN)’, and your registered GP will be updated with all your progress and assessments.
Patients who wish to access Mounjaro through the specialist weight management service must meet the Mounjaro eligibility criteria and complete the mandatory requirements to engage with wraparound care support. Medication will not be prescribed in isolation without this support.
Patients who currently pay for Mounjaro outside the NHS and would like to request a prescription through the NHS will need to meet the medication’s eligibility criteria at the time of their referral to the local service. Please refer to the FAQ below for further details.
Please note that acceptance onto the specialist weight management service does not guarantee access to Mounjaro. Access to this medication is prioritised for those with the greatest clinical need and ability to fulfil the requirements; it’s for people living with obesity, in poor health with multiple obesity-related conditions, as they would benefit most from the treatment. Details of the eligibility criteria for Mounjaro are included in the FAQ below.
Find out more through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) below:
Eligibility criteria and access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro®)
What is changing in the treatment of obesity?
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a treatment called tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) to help manage obesity. This treatment is to be used alongside healthy eating and physical activity advice.
The use of this treatment is now being rolled out in accordance with NHSE Interim Commissioning guidance.
In Shropshire, this means that tirzepatide will be offered to those patients at highest risk first, and gradually expanding the groups of people who can access this based on clinical risk.
What is the criteria to access tirzepatide (Mounjaro ®)?
Please note that acceptance onto the Tier 3 programme does not guarantee access to weight loss medications. Medication is offered via this service where available and appropriate for patient’s clinical needs.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) will not be accessible to everyone who wishes to use it. People with the highest health risks and who meet the clinical criteria will be prioritised. Full qualifying clinical criteria is a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 40 or more plus four or more of the following diagnosed health conditions:
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- obstructive sleep apnoea
- abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia)
Access to the drug must be accompanied by wraparound care which will include support for people to make dietary changes and to increase physical activity. Tirzepatide will not be prescribed as a standalone treatment, and patients must fully participate with the wraparound support programme.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro ®) might not be considered clinically suitable for everyone, and not everyone who meets the eligibility criteria will want to use it to support their weight loss. Therefore, there are a number of alternative weight management services available in Shropshire.
Can i access tirzepatide straight away?
The national roll out of tirzepatide for the management of obesity in primary care settings to eligible patients begins on 23rd June 2025. However, the national roll out on 23rd June does not mean people will be able to get a prescription for tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on this day.
Weight management services are locally commissioned at an Integrated Care Board (ICB) level, which means services will differ in ICBs across England.
Access to tirzepatide through primary care is not expected to start in mid and south Essex until 2026.
Who will be able to access tirzepatide in primary care settings?
According to NICE’s calculations, as part of its Technical Appraisal for tirzepatide (Mounjaro®), 3.4 million patients would potentially be eligible for the drug, however the NHS does not have the services or existing resources to manage this number of people all at once.
Therefore, access will be phased in gradually through a special agreement between NICE and the NHS in England, to make sure healthcare services aren’t overwhelmed and can manage the extra demand safely. NHS England has acknowledged that it is likely to take up to 12 years for every eligible patient to access this medication.
There will be a phased approach to rollout in primary care settings, and initially access to the medication on the NHS will be prioritised to ensure patients with the greatest clinical need can access the medication. This approach was developed based on discussions with clinical experts and engagement with key organisations.
The following weight related health conditions are considered as a way of prioritising groups of people with the greatest clinical need:
- type 2 diabetes mellitus
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- obstructive sleep apnoea (when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep)
- abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia)
The following groups of patients will be eligible for access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) in primary care settings in the first three years.
Cohort 1 – will start in 2025
- At least four of the five health conditions listed above plus a BMI of 40 or more.
Cohort 2 – in addition to the patients in Cohort 1 access to the medicine will also be offered to patients meeting the following criteria for year two.
- At least four of the five health conditions listed above plus a BMI of 35 – 39.9
Cohort 3 – in addition to patients in Cohorts 1 and 2, access to the medicine will also be offered to patients meeting the following criteria for year three.
- At least three of the five health conditions and a BMI of 40 or more.
Alex offers face to face appointments or telephone calls for anyone who has any non-clinical concerns or worries, and Alex works across the practices in the Southeast Shropshire Primary Care Network.
Please contact your surgery directly if you wish to get in touch with Alex.
Useful Links
MySunrise – Digital Cancer Support for Better Patient Outcomes (The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust)
Living With and Beyond Cancer App – NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust)
Macmillan Cancer Support | The UK’s leading cancer care charity
Sharing expertise and resources, to develop new services.
The PCN
Information
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