GP practices across West London CCG have formed local ‘Primary Care Networks, to improve the services we provide to patients. These networks, or PCNs, were officially established across the CCG on 1st July.
PCNs support groups of practices to come together locally, in partnership with community services, social care, and other providers of health and care services.
This practice is part of Brompton PCN. Brompton PCN is a group of 12 practices located across the southern half of Kensington and Chelsea. We have come together because we share a common aim to improve the service we provide to our patients, and a wish to work more closely together to achieve this aim.
The practices that form the Brompton PCN include Stanhope Mews West Surgery, Health Partners At Violet Melchett, Emperor’s Gate Centre for Health, The Chelsea Practice, Abingdon Medical Centre, Earls Court Surgery, Earls Court Medical Centre, Knightsbridge Medical Centre, Kensington Park Medical Centre, Royal Hospital Chelsea, Scarsdale Medical Centre, The Good Practice.
Our clinical director is Dr Fiona Butler, from Health Partners at Violet Melchett, and our management lead is Karen Rydings, from Stanhope Mews West Surgery. We will update you regarding any other lead roles that may by appointed to in order to support network development.
Brompton PCN will offer care on a scale which is small enough for patients to get the continuous and personalised care they value, but large enough – in their partnership with others in the local health and care system – to be resilient.
Initially, the formation of Brompton PCN will have little impact on you. Clinical and management staff from each of the eight practices will meet regularly to learn from best practice, and discuss ways of collectively improving the service we offer you.
In time, you will start to benefit from changes that have been implemented as part of this process. You are already able to book out of hours appointments at many of our member practices in order to offer you an appointment at a time that may suit you better. You may also be offered additional services (such as ECGs or INR testing) at another practice from within the PCN. Some practices may lead on specific clinical areas in order to offer a higher standard of care across the whole network.
This short film from NHS England gives more information about Primary Care Networks:
At the moment, our ‘working title’ is Brompton PCN. We are discussing a range of names that may better reflect our ethos and/or our geographical location. We will be asking our patients their opinion, so watch this space for an update!