These case studies demonstrate how working at scale has enabled primary care to overcome long-standing challenges, including workforce resilience, the use of data and technology, and the introduction of population health approaches in order to better support patients and reduce system-wide pressures.
As working across footprints larger than single practices continues to mature – whether via primary care networks, federations, integration with trusts or through super practices – these case studies help to illustrate the opportunities that exist in harnessing the benefits of scale.
At scale working can help to support the primary/secondary care interface, both via multidisciplinary teams spanning primary and community care, or through the ability to collect, interpret and use data to keep people healthy and out of hospital. These case studies show how at scale working has benefited both patients and the wider system by managing clinical risk in the community.
Through adopting preventative approaches and addressing patients' needs by using both technology and an expanded skill mix, working at scale can help improve population health and support the development of integrated neighbourhood teams, as promoted in publications such as the Fuller Stocktake.
We hope the case studies presented help to provide some insight into how these approaches have been successfully adopted to deliver real outcomes for both patients and organisations, and demonstrate how working at scale can continue to address national policy priorities.