Primary Care Networks

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) were formalised into the NHS in July 2019, helping practices to work together and share resources.

There are 5 Primary Care Networks (PCN’s) in the Sedgefield and Easington localities each comprising a geographically grouped number of practices with a combined patient population of between 30,000 and 58,000 patients.
PCN’s work collaboratively to provide additional services, often at scale, to their patient populations as well as integrating with wider health and care providers to support all health and wellbeing needs.

Each PCN has a Clinical Director who is supported on a day-to-day basis by our Business Managers and PCN Operational Managers, as well as the South Durham Health core team providing financial, governance, strategic and operational advice and support.

Several individual services are provided from each PCN.  These include additional roles supporting primary care including Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, First Contact Physiotherapists, Social Prescribing Link Workers, Trainee Nurse Associates, Physician Associates, Care Coordinators, Health and Wellbeing coaches and First Contact Mental Health Nurses.

They also provide an Enhanced Access Service which offers routine primary care services outside of core opening hours on evenings and weekends.

Each PCN’s has its own dedicated website where further information can be found about their individual service and member practices: