Alison is a senior NHS leader with experience in the development, implementation and delivery of large-scale change programmes within a healthcare environment.
Alison began her NHS career as a practice manager and is a skilled programme manager having worked with primary care clinicians through periods of change. She has provided support through the implementation of the nGMS contract nationally, led the development of practice-based commissioning and most recently has supported the primary care transformation agenda working with NHSE at a national level.

Creating the conditions for change - what the Fuller report says
8 June 2022
Dr Fuller reminds us that our biggest challenge is creating the conditions by which local change...

Harnessing Primary Care’s voice within ICSs to enable sustainable change
8 June 2022
General practice, primary care networks (PCNs) and Local Medical Committees (LMCs) all want to...

How to get the most from the ARRScheme
16 June 2021
For our second PCN roundtable on 2 June, leads from across the country gathered to discuss how...

How does your PCN compare?
19 April 2021
A group of PCN leaders from around the country joined our first roundtable event for an open and...

Is it time to incorporate your Primary Care Network?
19 February 2021
Creating a legal entity Limited Company to manage the functions of the PCN? So, what's in it for...

Collaboration is key - how do you know if you measure up?
8 February 2021
You want a successful Primary Care Network (PCN) that supports the member practices to deliver...

Extended Access: Planning for the unknown
10 December 2020
What could General Practice be doing to plan for the delivery of Extended Access? If you're a...

How to develop your PCN when the task seems daunting?
3 November 2020
Whatever the stage of your Primary Care Network (PCN) development you will be grappling with a...

Could your shingles vaccination programme be the catalyst for collaborative working?
26 August 2020
In the current climate, avoiding home visits and non-elective admissions to hospital for a...

Does the childhood vaccination programme offer insight for flu planning during COVID-19?
5 August 2020
Can lessons learnt from the childhood vaccination programme during the COVID pandemic support flu...

Developing social prescribing to support a community through the pandemic
22 July 2020
How we are using social prescribing to support communities during the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Reflecting on how to link systems within Primary Care Networks
7 July 2020
Thinking about the system links into Community Pharmacy, Opticians and Dentists, as these are...

GP Federations and PCNs - a single voice of strength
23 June 2020
Do GP federations have a role in the NHS? And what is the impact on general practice?

The need for good management in PCNs - not just good leadership
9 June 2020
Don't underestimate the role of great management and the importance it plays in enabling the PCN...

The benefits of signing up to the Primary Care Network DES
5 June 2020
Working on plans with ambitious Primary Care Networks our sense is the benefits outweigh the...

Going virtual supporting Primary Care
26 March 2020
We are living in unprecedented times. The pace of change being forced upon us is both astounding...

One Primary Care Network - One vision
10 June 2019
As a developing Primary Care Network do you have a clear vision for what you expect to achieve,...

Stress testing your Primary Care Network
10 June 2019
How do you put your Network relationships to the test and make sure you can come together and work...

The role of Primary Care Networks and the vision for the future
28 May 2019
Meeting the challenges of General Practice means providing coordinated and integrated care to...

Solving the Primary Care Networks Conundrum
14 March 2019
There is a lot of uncertainty about how Primary Care Networks will be established. We have had...

Primary Care and the NHS Long Term Plan
30 January 2019
Alison Westmacott, SCW's Director of Primary Care looks at the challenges for Primary Care...