RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Comparing registered and resident populations in Primary Care Networks in England: an observational study JF BJGP Open JO BJGP Open FD Royal College of General Practitioners SP BJGPO.2022.0037 DO 10.3399/BJGPO.2022.0037 A1 Thomas Beaney A1 Gabriele Kerr A1 Benedict WJ Hayhoe A1 Azeem Majeed A1 Jonathan Clarke YR 2022 UL http://bjgpopen.org/content/early/2022/09/30/BJGPO.2022.0037.abstract AB Background Primary Care Networks (PCNs) were established in England in 2019 and will play a key role in providing care at a neighbourhood level within integrated care systems (ICSs).Aim To identify PCN ‘catchment’ areas and compare the overlap between registered and resident populations of PCNs.Design & setting Observational study using publicly available data on the number of people within each Lower layer Super Output Area (LSOA) registered to each general practice in England in April 2021.Method LSOAs were assigned to the PCN to which the majority of residents were registered. The PCN catchment population was defined as the total number of people resident in all LSOAs assigned to that PCN. The PCN catchment populations were compared with the population of people registered to a GP practice in each PCN.Results In April 2021, 6506 GP practices were part of 1251 PCNs, with 56.1% of PCNs having 30 000–50 000 registered patients. There was a strong correlation (0.91) between the total registered population size and catchment population size. Significant variation was found in the percentage of residents in each LSOA registered to a GP practice within the same PCN catchment, and strong associations were found with both urban and rural status, and socioeconomic deprivation.Conclusion There exists significant variation across England in the overlap between registered and resident (catchment) populations in PCNs, which may impact on integration of care in some areas. There was less overlap in urban and more deprived areas, which could exacerbate existing health inequalities.