It is widely believed that ‘Practices cannot survive on their own – they have to look at ways of making themselves stronger.’ 15 sites were selected in December 2015 to test new enhanced primary care models serving populations of 30,000 to 50,000 patients.
[3] As the British Medical Association explains there are many names and many organisational forms: federations, networks, collaborations, joint ventures, alliances.
By 2017 it appeared that GP Federations were the commonest titles for collaborative arrangements which fall short of full merger or partnerships.
[5] In January 2019 NHS England told clinical commissioning groups that they must establish primary care networks, typically covering 30-50,000 people, in their areas by 30 June.
The plan says networks 'will comprise a range of staff such as GPs, pharmacists, district nurses, community geriatricians, dementia workers and AHPs such as physiotherapists and podiatrists/chiropodists, joined by social care and the voluntary sector'.