Primary Care Integration

The Primary Care Directorate is led by the Executive Director for Operations and consists of the Clinical Director for Primary Care, the Associate Director, the Clinical Lead and the Service Manager. The Directorate currently runs three practices, provides support to the Hanley Primary Care Network and helps the other directorates with matters relating to primary care.

In 2018, Moorcroft Medical Centre and Moss Green Surgery became the first practices to integrate with North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust. This integration allowed the trust to benefit from the knowledge, experience and agility of general practice with Stoke-on-Trent. It allowed the practices to enjoy enhanced security, governance and mental health support from the trust. Importantly, it allowed the GP partners to step down from the role of GP partner without suffering financial or reputational loss while ensuring that their patients, who they had cared for over multiple decades, would still have a safe and caring practice. 

Soon after the integration, both practices merged and the practice adopted a new clinical model that required telephone triage prior to receiving an appointment and separated urgent and routine problems. This model provided more flexibility and reduced the reliance on locum GPs. The model also provided an opportunity for the Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Allied Health Professionals. This model was initially very controversial within North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, before being praised by the local NHS England Primary Care Team and was held as an exemplar. When the COVID pandemic hit, the new clinical model, plus innovative working practices implemented by the Senior Primary Care Service Team, allowed the practice to cope very well with the crisis.

The Primary Care Directorate will continue to grow, be a driver for innovation and transformation across North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and continue to support the other directorates as they increased their engagement and interactions with primary care.

Please do not use the form below for medical enquiries, please contact your surgery directly. If you are interested in becoming part of the Directorate please contact us using the form below.