Since the establishment of the NHS in 1948, the population has continued to grow and people live longer. More and more people suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, or suffer from mental health problems, so they may need to get local medical services more frequently.

To meet these needs, the practice of general practitioners is collaborating with communities, mental health, social care, pharmacies, hospitals, and voluntary service departments in the local community, grouped in practices called Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

PCN is built on the basis of existing primary health care services and can provide people near home with more active, personalized, coordinated and more comprehensive health and social care. Clinicians describe it as a shift from passively offering appointments to actively caring for the people and communities they serve.

Starting July 1, 2019, all patients in England should be covered by a PCN.

A PCN is composed of adjacent general practice groups.

Grovelands Medical Centre, Tilehurst Village Surgery and Westwood Road Surgery make up the Tilehurst PCN. The three surgeries are closely located and collaborate well together to provide care and support to our community.