Since the formation of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in July 2019, many queries have been raised and comments posted on the forum. They range from how to leave a PCN to finding out the amount that can be reclaimed for an Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) employee. In fact, some PCNs have found out to their cost that the reclaimable amount is less than the total cost of employing the post.

The answers to nearly all of these queries can be found in, or accessed via, one document – Practice Index’s PCN DES Guidance [PCN PLUS]. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about PCNs from the Mandatory Network Agreement and its associated schedules, required when setting up and running the PCN, to Network Financial Entitlements, as well as PCN Workforce including details of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme’s (ARRS) financial entitlements and links to the claim forms. The latest amendment to be included is the Network Contract DES Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme Claim Form 2020/21, notified by NHS England on 10^th Feb 2021.

There have been many amendments, particularly over the past year, mostly from NHS England changing the work required of PCNs to accommodate general practice having to cope with the demands the COVID pandemic. Trying to keep abreast of all these changes, along with managing the ever increasing workload can feel like an impossible task!  The list below shows some of the many amendments that have been issued over the past 18 months.

• COVID-19 ES Vaccination Collaboration Agreement V2 (updated 12 Dec 20)
• Enhanced Service Specification: COVID-19 vaccination programme 2020/21 (updated 4 Dec 20)
• Urgent preparing for general practice to contribute to a potential COVID-19 vaccination programme (9 Nov 20)
• Supporting General Practice – Additional £150 million of Funding from NHS England (9 Nov 20)
• Freeing Up Practices to Support COVID-19 Vaccination (7 Jan 21)
• Supporting General Practice in 2021/22, NHS letter dated 21^st Jan 21
• Cover note for GPs and Commissioners: Revised Network Contract DES 2020/21 (17 Sep 20)
• Network Contract DES Contract Specification 2020/21 – PCN Entitlements and Requirements (amendment 17 Sep 20)
• Network Contract DES Guidance 2020/21 (17 Sep 20)
• Update to the GP Contract Agreement 2020/21 – 2023/24 (6 Feb 20 v2)
• Network Contract DES Participation Form 2020/21
• Primary Care Workforce Portal Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) electronic claims form
• Network Contract DES Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme Claim Form 2020/21 (updated 10 Feb 21)
• PCN Workforce Planning Template 2020/21 (11 Aug 20)

We are constantly reviewing and updating the PCN DES Guidance to ensure it contains the most up to date information, that is easily accessible within a single document. This also means that often these amendments are included before the CCGs have managed to notify PCNs of the changes! For example, notification that the manual network DES ARRS Reimbursement Scheme claim form for the final quarter of 2021 had been updated was included in an NHS England letter dated 10^th Feb 2021, and the amendment to the PCN DES Guidance was published soon after.

The guidance also contains 27 footnotes which link the user to the NHS England source publication. These footnotes carry the date of the source document so that if there is an amendment to it, the user can see for themselves whether or not they’re looking at the most up-to-date version.

Without doubt, the PCN DES Guidance is an invaluable source document for PCNs and can save hours of searching for and reading through the many documents regularly produced by NHS England. The Guidance can also have far-reaching effects on the finances and how the PCNs’ practices operate.

Click here to download our PCN DES guidance [PCN PLUS]