The silent battle: How narrative will shape the future of GP partnerships

"Contracts are only half the story"

General practice in England is entering a period of profound change. With the NHS introducing new financial models and contract structures, GPs and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) face an environment where performance, outcomes, and community impact are under closer scrutiny than ever.

But there is a silent battle running alongside these policy reforms, one that is less about service delivery and more about narrative. The practices and networks that succeed will not simply be the ones that meet contractual requirements. They will be the ones that build trust, demonstrate leadership, and tell a story that resonates with patients, commissioners, and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).

This is where communications and PR become not just important, but decisive.

Why narrative matters more than ever

The NHS long-term plan is shifting focus away from hospital-based care and towards neighbourhood health models, prevention, and continuity of care. Two new contract types are already being prepared for rollout in 2026: single-neighbourhood providers, serving populations of around 50,000, and multi-neighbourhood providers, coordinating services across populations of up to 250,000.

The language from NHS England has been clear - if general practice does not “step up,” then acute or community trusts may be invited to take on the responsibility.

This is not simply a question of clinical capability. It is about perception. Which provider looks like the natural leader of local healthcare? Who inspires confidence among commissioners and patients alike?

In short: whoever wins the narrative, wins the contract.

The reputation risk for GP partnerships

For decades, the partnership model has been the cornerstone of general practice. Yet, despite its resilience, it faces increasing challenges:

• Workforce pressures are making it harder to guarantee access.

• Patient expectations are rising, fuelled by digital-first services in other sectors.

• Media narratives often paint GPs as inaccessible or overstretched.

• Commissioners are under pressure to deliver faster results across larger geographies.

In this climate, the danger is that general practice is portrayed as reactive, fragmented, or unable to meet modern healthcare demands. And if that narrative takes hold, it opens the door for trusts or private providers to present themselves as more reliable alternatives.

The irony? Many GP partnerships and PCNs already deliver innovative, community-focused care that rivals anything provided by larger organisations. The problem is not delivery, it is communication.

The silent battle: Narrative vs. neutrality

General practice has historically been reluctant to invest in PR and communications. There is a professional instinct to “let the work speak for itself.” But in today’s competitive healthcare landscape, neutrality can be fatal.

If a practice or PCN does not actively shape its own story, others will shape it for them. Commissioners will listen to louder voices. Patients will form impressions from headlines and online reviews. Trusts will frame themselves as the default solution.

This is why narrative is no longer a luxury, it is a strategic necessity.

From contracts to communities: What needs to change

For GP partnerships and PCNs, the task ahead is clear:

1. Reframe general practice as the anchor of neighbourhood health. Practices must move beyond being seen as transactional service providers to being positioned as trusted leaders in local wellbeing.

2. Turn policy requirements into patient-centred messaging. When contracts talk about continuity of care, practices should translate this into compelling messages about building long-term relationships with patients.

3. Showcase outcomes through storytelling. Commissioners and funders want evidence, but what makes that evidence persuasive is how it is communicated - real stories of prevention, reduced hospitalisations, and community trust.

4. Engage locally and digitally. From parish councils to Facebook groups, practices must engage in the places where patients and communities actually talk.

How Grey Sergeant helps win the narrative

At Grey Sergeant, we specialise in helping GPs, PCNs, and ICBs secure their place at the forefront of healthcare transformation. We understand the policy shifts, but we also know how to convert them into communications strategies that resonate with both local communities and national decision-makers.

Here’s how we support practices in this silent battle:

• Reputation Management

  We help GP partnerships build trust by managing their public image, from proactive media engagement to safeguarding online reviews.

  
  

• Strategic Storytelling

  We take complex policy requirements, like capacity and access improvements or cardiovascular prevention and turn them into narratives that demonstrate leadership and value.

  
  

• Stakeholder Engagement

  We guide practices in shaping their relationships with commissioners, ICBs, and local authorities, ensuring their voice is heard where decisions are made.

  
  

• Community Positioning

  We work with practices to position them not just as service providers, but as anchors of local health and wellbeing - integral to the NHS’s vision of neighbourhood care.

  
  

• Digital Presence

  We ensure practices communicate where patients are: online, in social media spaces, and through accessible, clear digital content.

Opinion: Why PR Is now a clinical tool

Some may argue that PR is secondary to clinical delivery. But in reality, communication is now a clinical tool.

If a patient doesn’t understand how to access their GP, the appointment never happens.If commissioners don’t see the impact of preventative work, funding is lost.If the public narrative casts GPs as inaccessible, trust erodes and contracts follow.

In a health system under pressure, perception directly shapes reality. That is why GP partnerships cannot afford to sit this battle out.

Conclusion: Winning the Future of General Practice

The next phase of NHS reform is not just about money, contracts, or organisational charts. It is about leadership. It is about trust. And it is about who tells the most convincing story of healthcare in local communities.

GP partnerships and PCNs have every reason to lead this future. They have the reach, the relationships, and the clinical expertise. But unless they step up and win the narrative, there is a risk they could lose the opportunity to other providers.

That silent battle - narrative versus neutrality - is being fought now. The question is: who will tell the story of general practice in the future?

At Grey Sergeant, we believe it should be GPs themselves. And we’re here to help them tell it.

About the author

Michael O’Connor is a partner at Grey Sergeant, specialising in PR, communications, and engagement across the healthcare and non-profit sectors. Through his consultancy Grey Sergeant, he helps primary care networks, GP surgeries, and healthcare organisations define their brand, strengthen their reputation, and communicate with clarity. For more information, contact michael.oconnor@greysergeant.com