What is a managed care network?
Managed Care Networks or Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs) bring together individuals, communities and professionals in a particular disease area or topic to work together to improve services from the community to health and social care settings. They have a responsibility for service redesign, integration, quality improvement and performance management.
MCNs can be local, regional or national. A variety of MCNs exist across Scotland covering a range of common diseases or conditions such as Stroke, Diabetes and Cancer to rarer conditions such as Cleft Lip and Palate or Familial Arrhythmias.
No matter the type or size if the MCN, there are eight core principles that must be adhered to, laid out by the Scottish Government:
- Each MCN must have clarity about its management arrangements, including the appointment of a Lead Clinician or Lead Officer. Each Network must also produce an annual report, available to the public.
- Each Network must have a defined structure that sets out the points at which the service is to be delivered, and the connections between them.
- Each Network must have an annual plan, setting out, with the agreement of those with statutory responsibility for the delivery of services, the relevant standards, the intended quality improvements and, where possible, quantifying the outcomes and benefits to those, for whom services are provided, as well as their families and carers.
- Each Network must use a documented evidence base and should draw on expansions of the evidence base arising through continuous quality improvement and audit as well as relevant research and development.
- Each Network must be multi-disciplinary, multi-professional and multi-agency.
- Each Network must include meaningful involvement of those for whom services are provided, and by the voluntary sector, in its management arrangements.
- Networks’ educational and training potential should be used to the full, in particular through exchanges between those working in the community and primary care and those working in hospitals or specialist centres.
View our training calendar (**add link**) - Each Network must demonstrate continuing scrutiny of opportunities to achieve better value for money through the delivery of optimal, evidence-based care that adds value from the patient’s perspective, optimises productivity and reduces unwarranted variation.
