The Business of Primary Care Networks
Over 250 blogs to support the leadership and management of primary care networks 

NHS England has told ICBs that most cluster mergers planned for April 2027 will not go ahead. Here is what is happening, why, and what it could mean for PCNs.

When we talk about running a PCN, the conversation is usually about contracts and governance. Who signs what. Who's accountable. What the DES says. That stuff matters. But if you think about the things you've actually got over the line this year, I'd guess most of them came down to something else.

A PCN's money goes to one nominated payee, and that practice sees the full picture first. This part of the series looks at who holds the money, who can see it, who it belongs to, and what that means for neighbourhood working.

Locums can now be claimed through the £292m GP reimbursement scheme. Tara Humphrey maps how CAIP, ARRS and GP funding rules have loosened since 2023.

Lexacom is the first official sponsor of The Business of Healthcare podcast.

Every day in general practice we make decisions. Most are small and made quickly, sometimes without us even thinking about them. Others are much bigger and involve money, people, risk or the future of the practice and can have consequences for years. Making decisions is simply part of running a business.

The new Quality Strategy for NHS-Funded Care in England is attempting a different approach. Rather than handing down a fresh list of arbitrary targets, its main focus is simplify how quality is managed across the health service.

Integrated Health Organisations are arriving, and they run on a mechanism most PCN leaders haven't had explained yet: the risk and gain contract. Here's what it is, how it differs from how NHS money moves today, what it takes to hold one well, and what to watch for when several organisations manage a shared budget together.

What is the role of a PCN manager? There is no single answer. This blog explores why different expectations between a manager and their network can create tension, how to recognise misalignment, and why honest conversations are essential for effective leadership

This series takes primary care networks apart component by component. This instalment looks at the people the contract asks to lead it: the Clinical Director, the PCN manager, the practice managers, and the board they sit on together.

(A review of the political, economic and social factors affecting a primary care network) Most quarters, we create a list of what to focus on. But this quarter, rather than listing the same tasks, which should be business as usual by now, we think taking some time to slow down and think strategically about where your network is and your role in facilitating the next steps is a better use of your time. Your network is not just paying you to do your role. It is paying you to ex

Eight practical lessons on rolling out new technology in general practice, covering the problem you are actually solving, the learning time nobody budgets for, and what "free" really costs.

Primary care networks are groups of general practices working together, and they have been the main vehicle for change in general practice since 2019. This blog covers where they came from, what the contract actually says, and why running one is harder than the job description suggests.

Check out our top picks of events for primary care network leaders running from September to December 2026, along with some advice to help you get the most from your time there.

On 16 July, NHS England published its consultation on new contracting models for neighbourhood health. Four routes, a working assumption of around 50,000 people, no new national funding, and it closes on 10 September. We read it, and we had questions. So we brought together primary care leaders from community pharmacy, general practice, optometry, primary care networks and practice management, under the Chatham House rule, and asked what they made of it.

Article Excerpt Most GP practices produce financial information, but far fewer produce reports that genuinely support decision making. This article explains the four simple financial reports every practice should use to improve financial management, strengthen leadership and make better business decisions.

Neighbourhood Contract Consultation: NHS England's MNP and SNP proposals raise important questions beyond the consultation itself. Explore what ARRS funding protection really means, the impact of Enhanced Access, why PCN footprints matter, and the capability challenges facing neighbourhood providers.

Most GP practices measure finance, patient satisfaction and performance, but very few measure the overall strength of their business. This article explains why business strength matters, the seven areas that influence long term success, and how measuring them can improve planning, decision making and continual improvement.

The eight NHS England publications from July 2026 for PCN leaders, from patient list validation to winter planning, and what each one means for your network.

NHS England's MNP and SNP consultation sets out four routes but only two contracts. What PCN leaders need to weigh up, and how to respond by 10 Sept 2026.

NHS England is consulting on new neighbourhood contract models (MNP and SNP) for primary care, with responses due by 10 September 2026. This plain-English guide breaks down the four routes, the two contracts underneath them, the pros and cons of each, and the four consultation questions PCNs need to answer so your neighbourhood can agree on one coordinated response together.

Community pharmacy is primary care, and it has always worked at neighbourhood level. In her third appearance on The Business of Healthcare, Shilpa Shah of Community Pharmacy North East London explains what neighbourhood working, Pharmacy First and prevention really mean for the sector, and who picks up the bill.

As neighbourhood working evolves, provider-to-provider contracting is helping some areas move faster without waiting for new national contracts. Discover how the approach works, where the opportunities lie, and the key legal and organisational risks PCNs should consider before getting started.

Frailty is top of the list for nearly every neighbourhood, and there is pressure to move quickly. But in most areas, several services are already assessing the same frail patients. Community teams are going in. OTs are going in. FCPs are doing assessments in primary care. Hospital discharge teams are picking up frail patients on the way out. Before commissioning anything new or stopping a service, the first step is to map what already exists. This is how to do it. Step 1: Get