Overton Park is working together with five local surgeries as a Primary Care Network (PCN), called the Cheltenham Central Network.
PCNs form a key building block of the NHS long-term plan. Bringing general practices together to work at scale has been a policy priority for some years for a range of reasons, including:
- Improving the ability of practices to recruit and retain staff
- To manage financial and estates pressures
- To provide a wider range of services to patients and to more easily integrate with the wider health and care system
PCNs will eventually be required to deliver a set of seven national service specifications.
Five will start by April 2020:
- Structured medication reviews.
- Enhanced health in care homes.
- Anticipatory care (with community services).
- Personalised care and supporting early cancer diagnosis.
The remaining two will start by 2021:
- Cardiovascular disease case-finding.
- Locally agreed action to tackle inequalities.
As part of the above, all six surgeries provide joint improved access (IA) clinics based here at Overton Park in weekday evenings, and over the weekend during the day.
