We want to hear from you.
Find out about our patient consultation - running until 12th May 2025 - by watching this short video which was originally posted in 2022
You can also find all the information on our consultation on this page - or you can download guides in standard and Easy Read format below.
And if English isn’t your first language, you’ll find a Google Translate widget at the bottom of this page - which may help you better access information on this consultation.
We look forward to hearing from you.
What is a Primary Care
Network?
Primary Care Networks (or PCNs) are groups of GP practices who work with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary organisations to deliver a range of health and care services to people in their local areas.
PCNs were announced as part of NHS England’s Long Term Plan in January 2019, and began operating from 1st July 2019.
They were put in place to improve and extend the range of services available in the community, and to join up the care that is provided from different organisations.
By working together with a range of local providers, including community services, social care and the voluntary sector, it is hoped that GP practices and their communities will be able to make resources go further.
Each PCN looks after approximately 30,000 – 50,000 patients (though some, like Worcester City, is larger approximately 126,000).
They offer care on a scale which is small enough for patients to get the continuous and personalised care they value, but large enough to be resilient through working in partnership with others in the local health and care system.
What’s changed?
Some of our local Primary Care services have changed - and we’d like your insight to help us build our local strategy.
Enhanced Access appointments will be offered to patients across the PCN outside core opening hours, and will include ‘routine’ services like screenings, vaccinations and health checks.
What do these changes
mean for you?
Each PCN is developing their own strategy for the types of appointments they'll offer during their Enhanced Access hours, based on their patient population, their existing local services, and of course, feedback from their patients.
The aim is to offer a bespoke service that's designed around what the local population really needs - using a combination of face-to-face and remote appointments, and staff from all disciplines to offer the best possible service for you.
The appointments will be offered by a mix of GPs, Practice Nurses, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, and Health Care Assistants.
As the service grows, they may also be joined by Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Pharmacists, and other members of the Primary Care multi-disciplinary team.
And the types of appointments offered may include smear tests, pill and HRT checks, blood tests, chronic disease reviews, support with musculoskeletal problems, NHS Health Checks, Health Clinics
What are we asking
from you?
We are seeking input from local patients to help shape the future of Enhanced Access services in your area.
Your feedback is important to us. We're particularly interested in how you would like to use Enhanced Access services, and how we can improve them to better meet your needs.
While we originally held a consultation in 2022, we are now reopening the consultation period to explore how we can further enhance the service. This is a valuable opportunity for you to influence the development of Enhanced Access Services across Worcester.
We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete our survey—and please feel free to share it with others in your community.