Primary Care Network Business Manager

Job description

Job responsibilities

PCN Business Manager Job Description

Overview

A Primary Care Network (PCN) Business Manager holds a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth operation, development, and improvement of primary care services across member practices. Increasingly, the role incorporates tackling health inequalities as a strategic focus alongside core business management duties.

Core Functions

1. Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Support the Clinical Director and PCN Board in strategic planning and goal setting.
• Oversee and drive delivery of the PCNs service requirements, including Directed Enhanced Services (DES) contract compliance.
• Oversee work programmes, initiate transformation projects, and ensure effective project management including identification of operational management.
• Enable infrastructure development to improve capacity, resilience, and performance.

2. Neighbourhood Management

• Development of strong, collaborative relationships between practices and local stakeholders to ensure integrated and coordinated care at the neighbourhood level.
• Oversee the planning and delivery of the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme and future neighbourhood-based initiatives.
• Use local health data and insights to drive continuous improvement, measure the impact of neighbourhood working.

3. Financial and Resource Management

• Oversee PCN budgets, monitor ARRS funding, and ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Manage income and expenditure, track claims, and forecast financial needs.
• Secure and maximise funding streams, including for inequality initiatives.

4. Workforce Planning and Human Resources

• Coordinate recruitment, induction, and deployment of ARRS and other network staff.
• Support PCN Educational Lead in developing and implementing training and development strategy.
• Oversee HR processes: appraisals, performance reviews, training, and compliance.
• Ensure appropriate workforce mix to meet both service and inequality-targeted roles.

5. Governance and Quality Management

• Ensure the PCNs compliance with relevant legislation and professional information management standards.
• Be responsible for the production of performance and quality reports.
• Ensure the PCN adheres to governance structure as set out in the Network Agreement.
• Alert PCN members to issues of quality and risk.
• Oversee the organisation of PCN and Stakeholder meetings as required.

6. Service Development and Quality Improvement

• Identify gaps in service provision and design solutions.
• Implement service innovations and quality improvement programmes.
• Lead on data collection and analysis for service development and outcomes tracking.

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

Practice Managers

Clinical Directors and PCN Leads

PCN Board Representatives

PCN Staff

External:

Integrated Care Board (ICB)

Local Authorities

Health and Care Trusts

Care Homes / Social Care Contacts

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Addressing Health Inequalities

• Analyse population health data to identify groups experiencing health inequalities, such as by age, ethnicity, or locality.
• Monitor access, outcomes, and uptake of services among deprived and underserved groups.
• Develop action plans targeting unmet needs (e.g. increasing health checks for people with learning disabilities, promoting ethnicity data recording).
• Facilitate community engagement and partnerships, working with voluntary organisations, local authorities, and patient groups to tackle wider determinants of health[2][6].
• Use population health analytics and local intelligence to inform strategy and interventions.
• Develop relationships within the PCN, wider primary care, public health, community, and voluntary sectors to enable collective action on health inequalities[2][6].
• Advocate for and support community-led initiatives, enhancing access for marginalised groups.
• Champion equity in access, outcomes, and experience across all PCN operations.
• Support the training of staff on health inequalities, cultural competence, and inclusive care.

Summary

The remit of the PCN Business Manager is broad and pivotal to ensuring operational efficiency, effective workforce management, and fostering innovation. Central to the role is a collaborative and relational leadership approach, working alongside practices and their managers to enable joint success, rather than impose direction. By championing a collaborative-based model of primary care, the Business Manager will support the delivery of integrated and coordinated services, particularly as neighbourhood-level working develops. The Business Manager will have a critical role in optimising governance and in advancing the health inequalities agenda. Success in this role relies on the ability to build trust, listen actively, and empower distributed leadership across the PCN.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Essential Skills & Experience
• Proven experience in managing services or projects in a healthcare, NHS, or similarly complex organisation.
• Strong financial management skills, including budgeting and reporting.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise, meet deadlines, and manage multiple workstreams.
• Skilled communicator with the ability to build positive relationships at all levels.
• Confident in preparing and presenting reports, data, and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Understanding of NHS structures, General Practice, Primary Care Networks, and national/local healthcare priorities.
• Ability to lead change and drive improvement initiatives.
• Competence in Microsoft Office and ability to work with digital systems.

Desirable

• Desirable Skills & Experience
• Previous experience working in primary care or within a PCN.
• Knowledge of contractual and governance requirements in NHS primary care.
• Experience in workforce planning and HR processes.
• Project management qualification or equivalent experience.
• SystmOne experience.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Collaborative and diplomatic, with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Proactive and self-motivated, with a problem-solving mindset.
• Flexible and adaptable to a changing healthcare environment.
• Commitment to patient-focused service delivery.

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

Tower House Surgery

Address

Tower House Surgery

Rink Road

Ryde

Isle Of Wight

PO33 1LP

Employer's website

https://www.towerhousesurgeryryde.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)