General practices can no longer afford to take a go-it-alone approach if they hope to survive. As the NHS Long Term Plan makes clear, the welcome injection of new money for general practice is conditional on practices being prepared to work at scale. Every practice is expected to be part of a primary care network with a population of between 30,000 and 50,000 by this summer – and the network will be the conduit for the funding they will need to develop their teams and improve or expand their services.

While some practices may choose to remain independent, networks will compel many to think about formal collaboration. The trend towards mergers and the formation of super-practices, already well established, is set to grow.

Whether or not your practice is considering such a move, you need to understand your options. This event from PCC on on 5 September in London will make them clear

Nils Christiansen, founder and partner at specialist primary care law firm DR Solicitors will explain:

  • Advantages and disadvantages of working at scale
  • Explanation of the different forms of scale working
  • Different Entities for scale working, including limited liability
  • How should practices, PCNs, federations, and super-partnerships co-exist?
  • What are the steps to successfully merging practices?
  • How is a super-partnership different from a two or three-practice merger?
  • How to minimise the risks of working at scale
  • The future: combining scale working with integrated care

This event is aimed at GP partners, managing partners and practice business managers. Commissioners who need to understand the implications of primary care networks and the continuing policy push for primary care at scale should also find it valuable.

There will be opportunities to ask questions for those now getting plans under way or interested to find out more.