Ruby Country Medical Group belongs to Coast & Country Primary Care Network, a network of five practices (Bradworthy, Hatherleigh, Holsworthy, Neetside and Stratton) crossing the Devon & Cornwall border. But what exactly is a PCN and why do we need one?

PCNs were started in 2019 because:

• the population is growing
• people are living longer
• people have more complex health needs and require personalised healthcare
• GP services are now extra busy

PCNs bring together patient communities of between 35,000 to 50,000 patients. Our PCN is called Coast & Country. Covering five practices in Devon and Cornwall, it was formed in July 2019 with 4 staff. It now has nearly 40 and is growing very quickly.

Practices can now work together to look after the local populations, forming a network of:

• healthcare services
• community and voluntary services
• mental health services
• social care services

Sharing these services across five practices, allowing each practice to be able to offer more healthcare services to its patients, that single practices wouldn't be able to.

Coast & Country PCN aims to provide care in different ways to match people’s need in:

• mental health
• physical health
• social health

Patients now have access to new services, delivered by people with expert knowledge and skills, in a way that’s personal to them, considering health AND wellbeing. This runs side-by-side with the medical helpand support being offered at each practice.

Because PCN staff have to have clinics at different practices, they may, on occasion, need to ask patients to travel to a practice that's not their own, for a consultation.

As a patient at our RCMG you can now access the following services through our PCN staff:

• Social Prescribers
• Mental Heath Practitioner Nurses and Support Workers
• Counsellors
• Health and Wellbeing Coaches
• Healthcare Assistants
• Frailty Care Coordinator
• GP Assistants
• Vaccination Care Coordinator
• Safeguarding Care Coordinators
• Cancer Care Coordinator
• Clinical Pharmacists
• Pharmacy Technicians
• First Contact Physiotherapists
• Paramedics & Visiting Teams
• Diabetes Care Coordinator

and the list is growning.

To find out more about these services please visit the PCN website HERE or click on the highlighted services for those with leaflets.

For more information about Primary Care Networks visit NHS England HERE

For more information about Coast & Country Primary Care Network go HERE

For a downloadable leaflet go HERE

Operations Manager: Vicky Parker

Clinical Directors: Dr Mark Eggleton (RCMG) & Dr Mike Dowling (Neetside)

For appointment bookings with our PCN staff please contact your usual surgery to be advised of clinic dates.

To speak to any of the PCN Management Team please contact Holsworthy Medical Centre on 01409 253692 to be directed.

Coast & Country PCN have good social media communities on Instagram and Facebook.

Why not join them to see what's happening as it happens!