Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve primary care networks and deliver care closer to home.

As members of Primary Care Networks (PCNs), general practices work with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local area to deliver integrated services. Sustainability and transformation partnerships and integrated care systems are responsible for putting in place high quality support for PCN development.

We are introducing new service requirements and income-protecting the Investment and Impact Fund, an incentive scheme focused on supporting PCNs. Additional financial support has also been given to PCNs for COVID-19 vaccinations, with extra funding for Clinical Directors and management leadership of vaccination sites. PCNs are entitled to significant funding for additional staff, in order to support delivery of better services for patients closer to home.