Primary care networks and place-based working during COVID-19

Key messages

• Primary Care Networks (PNCs) are well positioned to address health inequalities through place-based approaches
• COVID-19 exposed and intensified existing health inequalities, highlighting the importance of local action
• collaboration with local authorities, voluntary organisations and community groups is central to effective place-based working
• PCNs can use local knowledge and population health data to identify and respond to unmet need
• flexible, locally tailored responses were critical during the pandemic.

Policy implications

• neighbourhood health and care approaches should strengthen the role of PCNs as local system convenors
• place-based working requires support for partnership development beyond primary care
• population health data should be used to target resources and interventions more effectively
• lessons from COVID-19 can inform more resilient and equitable neighbourhood models.

Gaps

• evidence is largely descriptive and based on pandemic-era experience
• limited evaluation of long-term impacts of PCN-led place-based approaches
• lack of systematic comparison across different PCNs and localities.

Commentary
This report highlights the role of PCNs in advancing neighbourhood health and care through place-based working. During the COVID-19 pandemic, PCNs were often at the centre of local responses, coordinating with councils, voluntary organisations and community groups to reach vulnerable populations.

From a care equity perspective, the report shows how local knowledge and relationships enabled targeted responses to inequalities that were not easily addressed through national approaches alone. Flexible delivery models and partnership working helped PCNs adapt services to local need.

The pandemic context also revealed structural challenges. Variability in capacity, data access and partnership maturity affected how effectively PCNs could respond, raising questions about consistency and sustainability beyond emergency conditions.

Overall, the report suggests that PCNs can play a key role in neighbourhood health and care, but their ability to address inequalities depends on strong place-based partnerships, access to data and ongoing system support. Embedding these lessons into routine practice is central to reducing health inequalities over time.