In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, GP practices across England have begun working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services to form Primary Care Networks (PCNs).
PCNs aim to further improve access, availability and quality of primary care services to local people by:
- increasing the number of healthcare staff working in and with GPs
- providing people with better access to a wider range of support for their needs
- developing community teams that support people in their own homes
- expanding services available in GP practices.
Overall, PCNs will support the development of proactive, personalised, coordinated and more integrated health and social care services.
PCNs are based on GP registered lists, typically serving natural communities of around 30,000 to 50,000.
A key feature of practices coming together, is introducing new roles into general practice which helps GPs focus their skills where they are most needed, such as diagnosing and treating patients. These roles include:
- Clinical Pharmacists
- Social Prescribing Link Workers
- First contact Physiotherapists
- Physician Associates
- Community Paramedics.
Watch a short animation below that explains the concept of PCNs and how this new way of working enables health and other services to work together to provide better access for patients.
Primary Care Networks in Walsall
As of July 2019, all GP practices in Walsall are working together as a Primary Care Network.
Patients are not likely to notice much of a difference at first, as some of the care they receive in Walsall is already joined-up. An example of this is the roll out of four GP Extended Access Hubs which provide extra appointments for patients that could not easily access GP or nurse appointments during working hours.
Seven networks exist in Walsall. These are:
Walsall North
Walsall North covers a GP population size of approx. 51,000 people and includes the following 10 practices:
01GP – Pinfold Medical, All Saints Surgery, Pinfold Health Centre
02GP – Bloxwich Medical Practice, Pinfold Health Centre
03GP – Dr Khan, Pinfold Health Centre
04GP – Birchills Health Centre
05GP – St Lukes Surgery, Pinfold Health Centre
06GP – Blakenall Modality Group
07GP – Drs Kaul and Gill, Harden Health Centre
08GP – Lower Farm Health Centre
09GP – Mossley and Dudley Fields Medical Practice
10GP – St Mary’s Surgery, Pinfold Health Centre
The Clinical Director of Walsall North PCN is Dr Nasir Asghar from Pinfold Medical Centre.
Walsall East One
Walsall East One covers a GP population size of approx. 33,000 people and includes the following 8 practices:
01GP – Dr N Dubb & Partners, Streets Corner Surgery
02Gp – Dr Nambisan Surgery, Chapel Street
03GP – High Street Surgery, Pelsall Village, Drs Sameja and AS Khan
04GP – Holland Park Surgery
05GP – New Road Medical Centre
06GP – Parkside Medical Practice
07GP – St John’s Medical Centre
08GP – Walsall Wood Health Centre, Lichfield Road
The Clinical Director of Walsall East One PCN is Dr Sandeep Kaul from New Road Surgery.
Walsall East Two
Walsall East Two covers a GP population size of approx. 42,000 people and includes the following 5 practices:
01GP – Blackwood Health Centre
02GP – Collingwood Family Practice
03GP – Northgate Medical Centre
04Gp – Portland Medical Practice
05Gp – Rushall Medical Centre
The Clinical Director of Walsall East Two PCN is Dr Francois Bolliger from Northgate Practice.
Walsall South One
Walsall South One covers a GP population size of approx. 43,000 people and includes the following 9 practices:
01GP – Ambar Medical Centre
02GP – Beechdale Centre
03GP – Brace Street Health Centre, Dr A Sinha
04GP – Brace Street Health Centre, Dr Mahbub
05GP – Brace Street Health Centre, Kumar
06GP – Forrester Street Medical Centre
07GP – Little London Surgery
08GP – Pleck Health Centre
09GP – Saddlers Health Centre
The Clinical Director of Walsall South One PCN is Dr Riaz Ahmed from Little London Surgery.
Walsall South Two
Walsall South Two covers a GP population size of approx. 40,000 people and includes the following 6 practices:
01GP – Broadway Medical Centre
02GP – Lichfield St Surgery
03GP – Palfrey Health Centre
04GP – St Peter’s Surgery
05GP – Sycamore House Medical Centre
06GP – The Limes Medical Centre
The Clinical Director of Walsall South Two PCN is Dr Ryan Hobson from Lichfield Street.
Walsall West One
Walsall West One covers a GP population size of approx. 32,000 people and includes the following 6 practices:
01GP – Kingfisher Berkley Practice
02GP – Darlaston Family Practice
03GP – Darlaston Health Centre, Dr N Khan
04GP – Modality Darlaston Practice
05GP – New Invention Health Centre
06GP – Stroud Practice, Bentley Medical Centre
The Clinical Director of Walsall West One PCN is Dr Ravinder Sandhu from Kingfisher Berkley Practice.
Walsall West Two
Walsall West Two covers a GP population size of approx. 46,000 people and includes the following 8 practices:
01GP – Croft Street Surgery
02GP – Drs Ali and Syed Surgery
03GP – Lockfield Surgery
04GP – Lockstown Practice
05GP – Moxley Medical Centre
06GP – Rough Hay Surgery
07GP – Sina Health Centre
08GP – The Keys Family Practice
The Clinical Director of Walsall West Two PCN is Dr Shadia Abdalla from Lockfield Surgery.
