Clinical directors call on next government to make PCNs permanent

Clinical directors have called for the proper resourcing of PCNs by the next government, including funding workforce and estates, following the announcement of a general election.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak revealed yesterday (22 May) that the date for the next election would be 4 July.  

PCN leaders have said they want to see long term funding for PCNs prioritised.

Dr Geetha Chandrasekaran, clinical director at North Halifax PCN, said the new government needs to ‘understand how PCNs have progressed and helped to enhance people’s wellbeing’.

‘The priorities as I see them should be adequate resources – funding workforce and estates in particular. But also making them permanent, not rolling over every year,’ she said.  

Clinical director of Central Camden PCN, Dr Ammara Hughes, agreed that the new government needed to commit to investment for primary care.

‘Any new government needs to commit to continued funding for PCNs, including the significant wage bill and pension costs of ARRS staff,’ she said.

‘Many PCNs are running services and there is no provision for ongoing costs for these, including management and estate costs.

‘There needs to be a commitment to significant investment across general practice and PCNs as a whole to allow for recruitment and retention and to be able to meet the demands on primary care that have increased exponentially over the last decade.’

She added that there was ‘always a concern’ that a new government will make changes to existing primary care contracts.

Clinical director of St John’s Wood and Maida Vale PCN, Dr Saul Kaufman, added he hoped the next government would ‘avoid unnecessary change’.

‘If they really want to do something then ensure that ARRS isn’t entirely given down weighted list as this potentiates inequalities,’ he said.

So far, prime minister and leader of the Conservative party, Rishi Sunak, has pledged to cut waiting lists if his party were to win the election. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also promised to cut waiting lists by providing an extra 40,000 appointments and operations a week.

The Liberal Democrats have said they will deliver ‘fair access to good public services’ as one of their five themes for their ‘fair deal’ plan. While the Green party co-leader, Carla Denyer, said one of its key priorities would be protecting the NHS from privatisation and making sure that it’s properly funded.’