11 Top Tips to Manage The Primary Care Network Impact and Investment Fund

As always, we create resources with new PCN Managers and Clinical Directors in mind.

In this blog;

• We introduce the Impact and Investment Fund

• We provide 11 tips to help you get to grips with the indicators

• We give a snapshot of what the IIF dashboard will look like inside SystmOne and EMIS

What is the Impact and Investment Fund (IIF)?

• The IIF is an incentive scheme for PCNs to come together to work to improve and enhance care for their patients.

• In 2020/2021, when the scheme first launched, there were six indicators. From the 1st of April 2022, there are now 28 indicators.

• The scheme offers a financial incentive, which is to be reinvested into the PCN, and there is freedom on how you choose to do this.

Where can I find NHS guidance on the Impact and Investment Fund for 2022/2023?

• NHS England: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/B0828-iii-annex-b-investment-and-impact-fund-21-22-22-23.pdf

• The 2022/23 Network Contract directed Enhanced Service Specification.

Getting Started

In partnership with your PCN Clinical Directors and Practice Managers as an initial starting point, I would encourage PCN Managers to:

1. Ensure your network is up to date with the latest impact and investment fund indicators.

2. Take time to go through the indicators to gain a better understanding of what the network is required to do.

3. Use the templates provided by the organisations that provide support to your clinical systems. Do not manually code, as this will result in errors and an inaccurate view of the performance to date.

4. Ensure you are using the most up-to-date version of the templates provided by the organisation that supports your clinical systems.

5. Double-check that the codes are accurate.

6. Encourage your practice to hold regular performance meetings and devise a plan for action.

7. Ensure your locums and other interim staff understand and know which templates and codes to use and why.

8. If the data is not accurate, contact the organisation that provides your searches and templates for support.

9. Review monthly achievements at a PCN level. Depending on where you are based and your preference, you can use Ardens, the organisations that provide your searches and templates or NHS View Point ( there will be others, this is just an example). Discuss this with your practice managers and in your PCN monthly meetings.

10. Identify how you plan to reinvest money now. Do not wait until the end of the year to decide what you want to do with these funds.

11. Agree now on how you will manage/support practices that do not meet their practice target, as this will impact the financial performance of the whole network.

A review of the Impact and Investment Indicators within your clinical system

Below is an indicative view of what your clinical reporting system may look if you use EMIS:

Below is an indicative view of what your clinical reporting may look if you use SystmOne:

Please note this is just a starter for you to build on and to make a plan which works for you.

I'm Tara; I am the founder of THC Primary Care, an award-winning healthcare consultancy specialising in Primary Care Network Management and the host of the Business of Healthcare Podcast.

I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sectors, and I have supported over 50 PCNs by providing interim management, training and consultancy.

I have managed teams across multiple sites and countries; I have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare, I'm published in the London Journal of Primary Care, and I am the author of over 245 blogs.

I have 3 children. My eldest has Asthma, my middle child has a kidney condition called Nephrotic SyndromeNephrotic Syndrome, and my youngest daughter has Type 1 Diabetes, so outside of work, healthcare plays a huge role in my life.

Find out more about THC Primary Care and follow me on Twitter.