Case study — illustrative example
How a Medicines OptimisationProgramme Could Release GPCapacity Across a PCN
What happens when a Primary Care Network stops trying to absorb medication workload into GP appointments — and commissions a structured clinical pharmacy service instead? This worked example shows the shape of a typical engagement.
This is an illustrative example, not a claim about a real client. The organisation, figures and outcomes below are a realistic model of how an NCS engagement is typically structured — your own proposal would be scoped and quoted individually.
The Challenge: Rising Medication Workload in a Growing Primary Care Network
Picture a typical PCN serving around 80,000 patients across six practices. Structured Medication Reviews are a Network Contract DES requirement, care home residents need regular medication review cycles, and prescribing safety work never stops — but every hour spent on it is an hour not spent seeing patients.
The network's GPs are carrying medication workload that a clinical pharmacist could own entirely. Recruitment has stalled twice. The backlog grows, and with it the clinical risk sitting in unreviewed polypharmacy.
The Approach: A Managed Clinical Pharmacy Service From NCS
Rather than recruiting, the network commissions a defined programme of work — scoped, governed and reported by NCS:
Structured Medication Reviews
A rolling programme of pharmacist-led SMRs for patients with complex polypharmacy and frailty, prioritised by clinical risk.
Care home medication reviews
Regular review cycles for care home residents, aligned to the Enhanced Health in Care Homes framework.
Prescribing safety audits
Quarterly audits covering high-risk prescribing, opioid and gabapentinoid use, and formulary adherence.
The Delivery Model: Structured, Governed and Reported
A blended team
One clinical pharmacist supported by a pharmacy technician — the technician carries reconciliation, administration and follow-up so pharmacist time stays clinical.
A hybrid week
Remote sessions for reviews and audits; on-site days for care home rounds and patient-facing clinics across the practices.
Named clinical oversight
A named clinical lead, agreed competencies, supervision arrangements and clear escalation routes from day one.
Monthly reporting
Activity and outcome reporting every month — review volumes, prescribing changes and safety actions, ready for the board.
Illustrative figures
The Illustrative Impact: What a Year of This Programme Could Look Like
1,200
Structured Medication Reviews per year
48
Care home review cycles per year
600+
GP appointments' worth of capacity released
4
Prescribing safety audits delivered
Illustrative modelling only — actual volumes, capacity impact and costs depend on your patient cohort, estate and scope, and are confirmed in a formal proposal.
What This Could Mean for Your Organisation
Medication workload moves out of GP appointments and into a governed clinical pharmacy service. DES-aligned work gets done on schedule. Prescribing safety stops being a backlog and becomes a programme. And your board gets reporting that proves it.
Whether you are a PCN clinical director, a practice manager or an ICB commissioner, the starting point is the same: a two-minute enquiry.