Following the publication of the letter from NHS England on 28 February, setting out the arrangements for the GP contract in 2024/25, on 28 March 2024, the Network Contract DES, Contract specification 2024/25 – PCN requirements and entitlements for 2024/25 was published.
Alongside the specification sits associated guidance, which this year for the first time is separated into two parts:
- Network contract directed enhanced service (DES) – guidance for 2024/25 in England – part A: clinical and support services (section 8)
- Network Contract DES 2024/25: part B guidance: non-clinical
The Network Contract DES details the following changes to PCNs for the year ahead:
Integrated Neighbourhood Team (INT)
- The INT has been added to the commonly used terms and there is an emphasis on PCNs playing an important part in them.
Service requirements
- The majority of service specifications are now included in a single overarching specification – section 8.1
- Four core functions are now described:
- co-ordinate, organise and deploy shared resources to support and improve resilience and care delivery at both PCN and practice level
- improve health outcomes for its patients through effective population health management and reducing health inequalities
- target resource and efforts in the most effective way to meet patient need, which includes delivering proactive care
- collaborate with non-GP providers to provide better care, as part of an integrated neighbourhood team
- Enhanced access to remain unchanged in order to fully assess its impact
Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS)
- Enhanced nurses added
- Removal of caps on all other direct patient care roles
- Other non-nurse and non-doctor MDT roles now allowed to be recruited, subject to agreement with the integrated care board (ICB)
- Increased flexibility to recruit mental health practitioners (MHPs) – employment / engagement continues to be through the mental health provider
- Caps on advanced practitioners removed
- Reimbursement for the time personalised care roles undertake training or apprenticeships now claimable
Financial entitlements
- No additional funding
- Core PCN funding, clinical director payment and PCN leadership and management payment with flexibility given to the PCN to distribute this as they feel appropriate
Investment and Impact Fund (IIF)
- Reduce the from five to two the number of indicators under the Investment and Impact Fund. The retained indicators are:
- Learning disability health checks
- The use of FIT testing in cancer referral pathways
Capacity and Access Improvement Payment (CAIP)
- Now payable at the point confirmation that PCNs meet criteria is received
- Self-declaration by clinical director required improvement has been achieved across all Core Network Practices of the PCN in the PCN:
- better digital telephony;
- simpler online requests; and
- faster care navigation, assessment and response.
- Self-declaration by clinical director required improvement has been achieved across all Core Network Practices of the PCN in the PCN:
PCC supports PCNs and practices for more information visit https://www.pcc-cic.org.uk/pcn-development-support/ or contact enquiries@pcc-cic.org.uk
Last Updated on 3 April 2024
