What is a PCN?
Since the NHS was created in 1948, the population has grown and people are living longer. Many people are living with long term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease or suffer with mental health issues and may need to access their local health services more often.
To meet these needs, GP practices are working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local areas in groups of practices known as primary care networks (PCNs).
PCNs build on existing primary care services and enable greater provision of proactive, personalised, coordinated and more integrated health and social care for people close to home. Clinicians describe this as a change from reactively providing appointments to proactively caring for the people and communities they serve.
Andover Medical Centre & N2 PCN
Andover Medical Centre along with six other north Islington GP Surgeries, is a member of N2 Islington Primary Care Network (N2 PCN). The NHS funds N2 PCN to provide some of our practice staff as well as provide healthcare and social services directly.
For example, N2 PCN provides a pilot Social Needs service to assist patients with social issues such as housing, disability and benefits.
This service includes a Social Prescriber employed by N2 PCN working with our admin and management team.