Newcastle North Primary Care Network (PCN)
Over the past year, Newcastle North PCN has proudly delivered the Cancer Care Coordinator Project, a dedicated initiative to improve cancer screening rates, early detection, and patient support across our five practices.
✅ Year One Highlights
We’ve seen strong improvements in screening participation thanks to collaborative working, personalised outreach, and community engagement:
Bowel Screening:
Achieved 73.4% uptake for ages 60–74 – exceeding the national standard
Used behavioural science, personalised reminders, and data-driven outreach
Partnered with the local bowel screening team for targeted supportCervical Screening:
Achieved the highest uptake across local PCNsAges 25–49: 85.10%
Ages 50–64: 85.48%
Delivered targeted campaigns and follow-ups to increase engagement
Breast Screening:
10% increase at Audley and 4% at Heathcote following quality improvements
Joint Open Day held with the breast screening team to launch a new mobile unit
Strong social media and in-practice promotion led to greater attendance
⚠️ Key Challenges
While the progress has been strong, we’ve faced several barriers:
Fear, stigma, or lack of awareness affecting participation
Access issues to mobile screening units in areas with limited transport
Digital exclusion among patients unfamiliar with online tools
Diverse patient needs in language, culture, and health beliefs
🔭 Looking Ahead – Year Two Priorities
We’re committed to building on our success by:
Continuing targeted outreach to non-responders
Hosting community health events such as Living Well This Winter which will take place on the 11th September 2025 (more details to follow)
Aligning with national awareness campaigns
Involving Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) in outreach and education
Strengthening partnerships with local screening teams
