About this role
Job summary
To support the operational, strategic, and financial delivery of Primary Care Network (PCN) objectives. The PCN Manager will act as the central point of coordination for PCN activities, supporting practice engagement, workforce deployment, governance, reporting, and system-level initiatives, while contributing and drafting to business case and funding bid development.
The remit of this role is broad and evolving and will require attention to detail in the delivery of high-quality day to day operations.
Main duties of the job
The PCN Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for the Primary Care Network, working closely with Clinical Directors, member practices, federation teams and external partners. The role is responsible for ensuring effective governance, service delivery, workforce management, performance, finance and contractual compliance across the PCN.
The postholder will coordinate PCN priorities and meetings, oversee delivery of commissioned services and ARRS roles, manage staff and third-party providers, monitor budgets and performance, and ensure contractual requirements and reporting deadlines are met. The role will also lead improvement and change projects, develop partnerships and identify opportunities for funding and service development.
The PCN Manager will act as a key link between Clinical Directors, GP practices, federation support teams and wider NHS/community partners, ensuring agreed priorities are implemented effectively while escalating clinical, financial, workforce and operational risks appropriately.
About us
South Havering Primary Care Network (PCN) brings together 11 GP practices serving over 67,000 people in the south of the London Borough of Havering. As part of the South Havering Neighbourhood, the PCN works with health, care and community partners to improve services for its local population.
Job description Job responsibilities
We do not facilitate Visa sponsorship
PCN leadership and governance
Support the Clinical Directors and board to set annual priorities, prepare decision papers and maintain an agreed delivery plan, forward meeting schedule, action log, risk register and escalation process.
Keep up to date with relevant NHS strategy and policy, health inequalities frameworks, and local health and care priorities. Become familiar with the local Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and population health profiles for South Havering PCN and the neighbourhood, and use this evidence with the Clinical Directors and practices to shape priorities, services and improvement plans.
Coordinate and attend PCN meetings and practice engagement; communicate decisions clearly, follow up actions and build working relationships across all member practices.
Maintain regular contact with all member practices, understand differences in capacity and local need, and support consistent implementation of agreed PCN services.
Maintain the PCN network agreement and governance records with the Clinical Directors and practice representatives, coordinating updates and approvals where required.
Develop and maintain proportionate PCN policies, procedures and local operating arrangements with the Clinical Directors, practice representatives and federation leads; ensure staff can access current approved versions.
Maintain oversight of contractual obligations, specifications, deadlines, evidence and submissions, escalating delivery or capacity risks early.
Represent the Clinical Directors at agreed operational meetings within delegated authority, referring clinical or strategic decisions back to them.
Work with member practices to identify shared operational pressures and opportunities to collaborate, improving practice resilience and consistency of PCN service delivery.
Oversea third-party ARRS providers contracts
Service delivery and improvement Oversee operational delivery of PCN services and locally commissioned programmes, including enhanced access, care home support, multidisciplinary working, long-term condition care, proactive care, prevention and health inequalities activity as commissioned.
Manage mobilisation and change projects from scope and stakeholder engagement through implementation, monitoring and evaluation; maintain practical project plans with named owners, milestones and benefits.
Own and deliver a defined portfolio of PCN projects personally, while overseeing projects delegated to the PCN Operations Manager and Digital Facilitator or other staff; agree responsibilities and review progress regularly.
Oversee the PCN single point of access and referral pathways, reviewing demand, allocation, response times, patient experience and improvement opportunities with staff and practices.
Coordinate evaluation of PCN programmes, using activity, outcomes, patient and carer feedback and learning to inform decisions about continuation or improvement.
Coordinate pathway and standard operating procedure development, patient access, referral and administrative processes, and quality improvement with clinical leads and practice teams.
Workforce and people management Line manage the PCN Operations Manager and Digital Facilitator and PCN non-clinical ARRS staff, including health and wellbeing coaches, social prescribing link workers and care coordinators. Oversee the single point of access service, with day-to-day supervision shared or delegated within the PCN management team as agreed.
Provide operational oversight of PCN clinical ARRS staff and their practice allocations. Work with the employing organisation and professional leads to ensure each member of clinical staff has a named clinical supervisor and a clear day-to-day management contact at each practice where they work. Clinical supervision and decisions remain with appropriately qualified clinical professionals.
Review the capacity, utilisation and service performance of all PCN additional roles with practice and professional leads. Identify gaps in cover or delivery, agree improvements and escalate issues that cannot be resolved within the PCN management team.
Hold regular operational and performance review meetings with third-party providers of ARRS services, normally monthly or quarterly as agreed, following up staffing, allocation, quality and delivery actions.
Lead recruitment, induction, appraisals, wellbeing and performance processes within delegated authority; monitor workforce capacity, vacancies, leave and cover and escalate patient safety concerns.
Identify development needs, support staff progression and organise training and learning opportunities so staff and practices can deliver new pathways, digital workflows and contractual requirements.
Work with clinical and professional leads to ensure additional roles have clear responsibilities, suitable supervision, effective practice placements and development opportunities.
Work with the Clinical Directors and practices to develop the PCN operating model, workforce plan and future services in response to local needs.
Performance, finance and assuranceMaintain a concise PCN performance dashboard covering activity, access, quality, outcomes, inequalities, workforce, milestones and exceptions; oversee the operational and digital reporting delivered by the PCN Operations Manager and Digital Facilitator and use data to support decisions.Oversee performance monitoring and reporting for PCN contracts and commissioned services. Ensure routine data collection, trackers and draft reports are completed by the PCN management team or other designated staff; review accuracy, risks and exceptions, obtain any required Clinical Director approval and ensure reports are submitted by agreed deadlines.
Present regular performance and delivery updates at PCN meetings and provide clear feedback to member practices. Identify areas for improvement, quick wins and targeted support; work with practices where delivery or performance is below agreed expectations to understand barriers, agree practical actions and monitor progress.
Manage the PCN ARRS budget and finance trackers, monitoring allocations, claims, expenditure, vacancies and forecast variances with federation finance colleagues; work within delegated authority and obtain Clinical Director approval for financial decisions or changes in line with agreed governance.
Meet regularly with federation finance leads and the PCN Clinical Directors to review the PCN finance report, investigate discrepancies, agree actions and inform decisions on workforce and service investment.
Work with federation finance colleagues and the PCN nominated payee to reconcile PCN income and expenditure, track committed funds, investigate payment discrepancies and provide financial assurance to the Clinical Directors and member practices.
Retrieve and provide the monthly PCN statements from the Primary Care Support England (PCSE) portal to the appropriate federation finance leads and Clinical Directors, ensuring secure handling and follow-up of queries.
Coordinate and submit PCN workforce returns and other ICB reports as agreed with the Clinical Directors, checking accuracy, approvals and deadlines.
Support financial planning for budgets, reimbursements, contracts and business cases, including value for money and forecast implications.
Ensure appropriate records, information governance, confidentiality, safeguarding escalation and audit arrangements are followed in conjunction with relevant clinical and organisational leads.
Escalate complaints, incidents and significant service concerns promptly through the appropriate organisational and clinical routes, and support investigations and learning within the scope of the role.
Partnerships and opportunitiesRepresent the PCN at agreed borough and system operational meetings and maintain effective relationships with the ICB, federation, acute and community providers, local authority, voluntary sector and patient representatives.
Identify and propose new business development and funding opportunities for PCN development and growth.
Develop proposals, business cases and funding bids under the Clinical Directors oversight; assess capacity, clinical governance, commercial and delivery implications before commitments are made.
Interpret public health and population health data with clinical and analytical colleagues to identify needs, strengthen bids and target services and outreach; undertake training in relevant data systems as required.
Build and strengthen relationships with public health, the local authority, NHS providers, voluntary and community organisations and patient groups to support PCN and neighbourhood programmes, quality improvement, outreach and partnership events.
Build relationships with managers in neighbouring PCNs and attend relevant PCN Manager meetings where possible; share learning and work with peers on service development and delivery.
Support meaningful patient and carer involvement and use feedback to improve reach and reduce unwarranted variation.
Working relationships and scopeThe postholder works closely with the PCN Clinical Directors, member practice managers and clinical leads, Havering Health leadership and support functions, PCN staff, neighbouring PCNs and South Havering Neighbourhood partners. This is a practice-facing role requiring regular in-person attendance at PCN practices/meetings, team meetings and partner locations as directed by service needs. The PCN Operations Manager and Digital Facilitator leads assigned day-to-day digital and operational projects, systems and reporting; the PCN Manager sets priorities, provides line management and assurance, resolves escalations and directly manages agreed projects. Clinical decisions and professional supervision remain with the appropriate clinical leads.
Person Specification
Values Essential
Inclusive leadership, sound judgement, confidentiality and commitment to patient involvement and improvement
Qualifications Essential
Degree-level education or equivalent relevant management experience
Desirable
Leadership, management, project management or quality improvement qualification
Knowledge and Skill Essential
Understanding of NHS primary care, PCN contracts, additional roles and governance, or ability to acquire this rapidly Ability to manage budgets and trackers, interpret finance and performance information, and meet reporting deadlines Strong written communication, stakeholder engagement, negotiation and practical problem solving Ability to interpret public health data and translate evidence into service proposals and bids Confident use of Microsoft Office and digital reporting tools; familiarity with EMIS or similar systems
Desirable
Knowledge of neighbourhood or integrated care, long-term condition pathways and population health approaches Understanding of NHS strategy, health inequalities and the use of JSNA and population health data to plan local services
Experience Essential
Experience of line managing staff, supporting development and coordinating a multidisciplinary workforce Evidence of leading projects, service change, contract delivery and performance reporting
Desirable
Experience managing PCN or NHS budgets, workforce returns, funding claims or financial reporting Experience developing business cases, bids, outreach or health and care partnership events
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Havering Health Ltd
Address Wood Lane Surgery
39 Wood Lane
HORNCHURCH
Essex
RM12 5HX
United Kingdom
Employer's website http://haveringhealth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)