Comparing registered and resident populations in Primary Care Networks in England: an observational study
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Beaney, Thomas
Kerr, Gabriele
Hayhoe, Benedict
Majeed, F
Clarke, Jonathan
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) were established in England in 2019 and will play a key role in providing care at a neighbourhood level within Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).
Aim
To identify PCN ‘catchment’ areas and compare the overlap between registered and resident populations of PCNs.
Design and Setting
Observational study using publicly available data on the number of people within each Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA) registered to each General Practice (GP) in England in April 2021.
Method
LSOAs were assigned to the PCN to which the majority of residents were registered. The PCN catchment population was defined as the total number of people resident in all LSOAs assigned to that PCN. We compared PCN catchment populations to the population of people registered to a GP practice in each PCN.
Results
In April 2021, 6,506 GP practices were part of 1,251 PCNs. 56.1% of PCNs had between 30,000 and 50,000 registered patients. There was a strong correlation (0.91) between the total registered population size and catchment population size. We found significant variation in the percentage of residents in each LSOA registered to a GP practice within the same PCN catchment, and strong associations with both urban-rural status and socioeconomic deprivation.
Conclusion
There exists significant variation across England in the overlap between registered and resident (catchment) populations in PCNs which may impact on integration of care in some areas. There was less overlap in urban and more deprived areas which could exacerbate existing health inequalities.
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) were established in England in 2019 and will play a key role in providing care at a neighbourhood level within Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).
Aim
To identify PCN ‘catchment’ areas and compare the overlap between registered and resident populations of PCNs.
Design and Setting
Observational study using publicly available data on the number of people within each Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA) registered to each General Practice (GP) in England in April 2021.
Method
LSOAs were assigned to the PCN to which the majority of residents were registered. The PCN catchment population was defined as the total number of people resident in all LSOAs assigned to that PCN. We compared PCN catchment populations to the population of people registered to a GP practice in each PCN.
Results
In April 2021, 6,506 GP practices were part of 1,251 PCNs. 56.1% of PCNs had between 30,000 and 50,000 registered patients. There was a strong correlation (0.91) between the total registered population size and catchment population size. We found significant variation in the percentage of residents in each LSOA registered to a GP practice within the same PCN catchment, and strong associations with both urban-rural status and socioeconomic deprivation.
Conclusion
There exists significant variation across England in the overlap between registered and resident (catchment) populations in PCNs which may impact on integration of care in some areas. There was less overlap in urban and more deprived areas which could exacerbate existing health inequalities.
Date Issued
2022-12-01
Date Acceptance
2022-07-13
Citation
BJGP Open, 2022, 6 (4)
ISSN
2398-3795
Journal / Book Title
BJGP Open
Volume
6
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
© 2022, The Authors This article is Open Access: CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2022-12-20