Preparing For Neighbourhood Contracts | Facilitation Questions

Over 800 of you have viewed our Neighbourhood MOT blog—offering a free assessment and insights to help PCNs prepare for the 2026 single and multiple neighbourhood contracts.

Now, with the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme accepting applications until August 8th, it's time to go deeper.

Whether you're applying for the pilot or not, the criteria reveals what the NHS expects from neighbourhoods moving forward. This inspired me to develop six real-world scenarios that explore whether you're truly ready.

No framework to follow. No scoring system. Just questions that need honest conversations.

Take these to your next neighbourhood meeting. See what happens. Notice where you get stuck and where you are aligned.

Let's jump in.

Neighbourhood Contracts | Facilitation Questions

1. The Meeting Dilemma

Your Clinical Directors meet regularly – it works. But you realise you need broader voices around the table: the PCN manager, community partners, and perhaps others.

• Who decides who joins?

• Where do you meet?

• Who pays for the venue?

• Who does the admin?

2. The Workforce Mapping Challenge

You decide it's time to map your collective PCN workforce – to understand the skills you have, the employment models in use, salaries, provider fees, completed training, and how much of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) funding is being utilised. The aim: to establish a baseline that supports future workforce needs and planning.

• Who leads this piece of work?

• Who holds the data?

• How do you agree on what information is needed?

3. The Underspend Opportunity

Your workforce mapping exercise identified a £200,000 ARRS underspend, and 4/7 PCNs believe this presents a great opportunity to create a neighbourhood-delivered service.

• What data are you using to identify the patient's needs?

• Do you explore potential ideas in a forum before developing a business case, or do some of you create the business case first?

• Naturally, across a patient footprint of 250,000, not all PCNs may feel that the proposed service ideas will have a significant positive impact on them. How is this conversation managed?

  
  

4. The Multi-Neighbourhood Provider Ambition

You want to position yourselves as a multi-neighbourhood provider. This requires leadership infrastructure that exceeds what you currently have.

• Who is appointed as the clinical lead, and what is the process for selecting them?

• Who provides management leadership, and how are they appointed in a fair and transparent manner?

• Where does administrative support come from?

• What are these roles actually supposed to do?

• Who pays for them?

• What are they responsible for?

• Who manages them, and who are they accountable to?

5. Data-Informed Decisions

You need to demonstrate the ability to make data-informed decisions about population health. This depends on shared intelligence and agreed methods for identifying those most in need of support.

• Do you have data sharing agreements in place?

• What do they actually cover?

• Who can see what?

• What risk stratification tools are you using?

• Do you all use the same one?

• Can you identify your most vulnerable cohorts together?

• What happens when the data shows uncomfortable truths about variation?

6. Real Readiness to Collaborate

Between now and April 2026, what will you do together – using your own resources, without waiting for funded contracts – to demonstrate that you can truly collaborate?

• What could you start tomorrow?

• Who would lead it?

• What resources would each practice contribute?

• How would you measure success?

• Will it survive without additional funding?

Sometimes these conversations flow naturally. Sometimes they don’t. If you’d value a neutral voice who truly understands the journey you’re on – someone who’s supported hundreds of PCNs through these exact challenges – I offer facilitation support. Contract admin@thcprimarycare.co.uk to book your facilitation session.

We hope this helps.

Further Support

Professional Development

If you want to master the strategic thinking behind these challenges: Join our Business of Healthcare Leadership Programme starting September 12th.

Deep dive into frameworks, case studies, and peer learning with other pioneering leaders navigating the same uncharted territory.

The PCN Members Club

If you need ongoing practical support for your neighbourhood conversations, join our PCN Members Club for just £497/year.

We have an exclusive master class coming up where I will be sharing top tips to help you facilitate your neighbourhood discussions on 4th September from 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Facilitation

If your network would benefit from a neutral voice for those tricky partnership discussions, we provide in-person facilitation too.

Contact admin@theprimarycare.co.uk to book facilitation support.