Primary Care Network

Welcome To The Sheffield City Centre & SHU Primary Care Network

The City Centre & SHU PCN is made up of surgeries in and around Sheffield city centre. Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan, with general practices being a part of a network, typically covering 30,000-50,000 patients. The networks will provide the structure and funding for services to be developed locally, in response to the needs of the patients they serve. It is important that community pharmacy teams are fully involved in the work of their PCN and this is being encouraged via the Pharmacy Quality Scheme.

The Surgeries included are...

Porter Brook Medical Centre & Student Health at SHU

Upperthorpe & Ecclesall Medical Centres

Devonshire Green & Hannover Medical Centres

Harold Street Surgery

How were PCNs formed?

A new extension to the GP contract was agreed in January 2019, as part of NHS England’s five-year framework for GP services:: the Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service (DES); this went live on 1st July 2019 and it enables GP practices to play a leading role in every PCN.

As part of the requirements of the DES, PCNs must appoint a Clinical Director as their named, accountable leader, responsible for delivery, who will also provide strategic and clinical leadership to help support change across primary and community health services.

All PCNs have a Network Agreement which sets out the collective rights and obligations of the general practices in the network, as well as how the network will partner with non-GP practice stakeholders such as community pharmacies. The Network Agreement also includes a patient data-sharing requirement, in order to support safe and effective provision of patient care across the general practices.