PCARP: Modern General Practice Access
All GP practices across NCL must adopt the Modern General Practice Access Model by March 2025. Practices will transition at their own pace, based on their individual workflows and specific needs. This page has been designed to support practices throughout this process
To assist with the transition, the Primary Care Access Recovery Programme (PCARP) offers a range of local change management resources tailored for NCL practices.
What is the Modern General Practice Access Model?
This model has been developed to meet the needs of both patients and practice staff, focusing on:
Inclusive and Effective Access to Care: Improve the patient experience with multiple access options, including online, telephone, and walk-in services.
Workload Management and Demand Analysis: Help practices understand and manage their workload to improve patient care and support workforce retention.
Adoption of Digital Channels: Streamline workflows by integrating digital tools and improving communication with patients via online platforms.
Streamlined Triage and Care Navigation: Ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate staff member or service for continuous and efficient care.
Learn More
In this short video, Dr John McGrath, an Islington GP and Clinical Lead for the PCARP programme in NCL, introduces the Modern General Practice Access Model and explains how this programme can support practices during their transition.
The NCL PCARP team is available to guide practices in designing and implementing new processes to enhance patient access and experience. Dr McGrath discusses these approaches in detail in the video.
Local Change Management Support for NCL Practices
NCL practices have access to the following types of support:
Universal Support
This includes a range of learning, training, and educational resources developed by the NCL Training Hub for general practice. These resources aim to assist practices as they explore different elements of the Modern General Practice Access pathway.
Change Management Support
Managed by Islington GP Federation, this support provides practical, customised assistance to selected NCL practices for implementing change management projects focused on improving GP access. There are two formats for this support:Peer Support Sessions
One-on-One Practice Support
To access this support, please contact the NCL PCARP team at Islington GP Federation using the contact details provided below.
For full information about the NCL 2024/2025 General Access Recovery Programme (PCARP), visit the General Practice Access Support pages on the NCL GP website.
Upcoming Training for NCL Practices
Below you will find details of upcoming training available for NCL practices to support the transition to the modern general practice model. To register, simply click on the provided links.
If you are seeking training on a specific topic related to modern general practice access, please contact our team so we can assist you in finding the right resources.
The PCARP Team are delighted to host the DTL networking and training sessions over the next 6 months. The sessions will take place once a month for 1 hour from 2pm and will cover different topics to support Primary Care teams. The Trainings will be led by Dr Bengi Beyzade, PCARP Clinical Lead & Clinical Executive at IGPF.
The Digital and Transformation Lead role was introduced to support transformation activities in PCNs, including the adoption and effective use of technology. The key objective of the role is to support PCNs and their practices to deliver ongoing improvement to services. The role covers everything from data analysis to strategic planning.
Please see below upcoming dates and topics, to book onto any of these sessions, please click here.
Upcoming dates
23/04/25: Modern General Practice and GP contractual requirements
21/05/25: Data processing - CAP focused data handling & presentation session 1
18/06/25: Relationship management (How to improve working and retain engagement with individual practices with in your PCN)
16/07/25: Data processing - CAP focused data handling & presentation session 2
13/08/25: TBC
10/09/25: TBC
Pharmacy First
What is the Pharmacy First Service?
The Pharmacy First Service is a new NHS England initiative designed to help patients receive timely and appropriate treatment. This programme supports community pharmacies to manage seven common conditions by offering professional advice, over-the-counter medications, and, in some cases, certain prescription-only treatments, all without the need for a GP appointment. This programme not only benefits patients but also helps reduce the workload on GP practices.
How the Pharmacy First Service Can Enhance Your Practice in Modern General Practice
Modern General Practice Access focuses on efficiently directing patients to the right healthcare professional or service at the right time based on their specific needs. This approach supports practices in leveraging a multiprofessional team, including community services, to improve patient care and optimise workforce and resources.
The Pharmacy First Service can play a key role in this model by collaborating with GP practices to streamline processes for signposting and referring patients. When appropriate and safe, patients can be directed to Pharmacy First, reducing the need for GP appointments and freeing up practice capacity.
Steps to Implement Pharmacy First in Your Practice
To help your practice implement the Pharmacy First Service, we have outlined some key steps below to help get you started:
Step 1: Review Pharmacy First resources available on the NCL GP website
Visit the NCL GP website for information on the Pharmacy First Service. The site provides detailed guidance, including eligibility criteria, referral processes, and NHS England recommendations.
Access the resources here: https://gps.northcentrallondon.icb.nhs.uk/services/pharmacy-first-service
Consider helping patients better understand the Pharmacy First service by promoting it through the following methods:
Adding information to your practice website
Including a message in your telephone auto-attendant system
Sending SMS messages to patients as part of your care navigation process
Displaying a promotional poster or notice in your waiting room:
Step 2: Identify Local Participating Community Pharmacies
Use the NHS Service Finder to locate pharmacies participating in the Pharmacy First Service. Currently, 97% of community pharmacies across NCL are signed up, making it easy to find a pharmacy near your practice.
Step 3: Learn About the Referral Process
The NCL Training Hub offers Lunch and Learn webinar sessions to guide general practices in adopting the service. These sessions cover:
How to create and manage referrals
The process of electronic referrals via EMIS
Reasons for patient re-referrals to primary care
You can watch the webinar recordings here:
NHS England has created a webpage that explains the Pharmacy First GP referral pathway, including guidance on implementing it within primary care networks (PCNs) and practices. It also outlines how to effectively involve your reception and care navigation teams in the process: https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/community-pharmacy-contractual-framework/referring-minor-illness-patients-to-a-community-pharmacist/
Step 4: Work with Your Local Community Pharmacy
A strong working relationship between your practice and local community pharmacy is key to the success of the Pharmacy First Service. To streamline the triage process:
Establish regular touchpoints, such as monthly or quarterly meetings, to address learning opportunities and troubleshoot challenges.
Keep your pharmacy partners informed about any changes to your practice’s processes.
Where to Find More Information
For further support, please contact the NCL Community Pharmacy Services team: nclicb.medsoptimisation@nhs.net
Camden and Islington practices: Please contact Shilan Shah on psm@cpci.org.uk
Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey practices: Please contact Amalin Dutt on amalin@middlesexpharmacy.org
Contact Us
For questions about the resources and training available on this page, please reach out to the NCL Training Hub team via igpf.ncl-pcarp@nhs.net.
Additionally, we welcome practices interested in participating and sharing their experiences in transitioning to different aspects of the modern general practice operating model. Please email the team via igpf.ncl-pcarp@nhs.net.