We aim to create a more joined-up approach to training, collaboration and service delivery across the healthcare system.
Project Manager(s): Leah Pearson and Liina Haythornwaite
Throughout 2025 - 2026, SWAG Cancer Alliance are focused on the following aims within primary care:
- Strengthening primary care education
- Improving links between primary care (GPs, community health centres) and secondary care (hospitals, specialist clinics)
- Building stronger connections with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to support patients with access to dental care
Patients often experience fragmented care due to gaps in communication between different areas of the health system. Similarly, healthcare professionals can face difficulties in navigating between sectors or understanding referral pathways. By enhancing education, collaboration, and integration, this project seeks to build a more consistent and effective patient journey, while supporting the workforce with clearer structures and improved professional development.
Key Challenges
- Gaps in primary care education and training, which can lead to variable patient experiences.
- Poor coordination between primary and secondary care, resulting in delays and inefficiencies.
- Limited access to dentistry, with patients struggling to find timely care and professionals in need of better system-level support.
What does this mean?
For patients, this means more seamless care across services and quicker access to the right support. For the workforce, it offers stronger educational opportunities, clearer referral and communication pathways, and closer collaboration across the system, which reduces stress and duplication of work.
The project is working in partnership with primary care providers, secondary care teams, ICBs, dental service leads, and educational institutions.
The project targets healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care, dental care, and system leaders within ICBs. Ultimately, benefitting patients who will experience improved access and continuity of care.
How will this help?
- Better joined-up care: Patients will experience smoother journeys between their GP, hospital, and dental services, with fewer delays and less confusion.
- Stronger workforce skills and confidence: Staff in GP surgeries and other primary care services will benefit from clearer training and education, helping them deliver the right care more quickly.
- Closer teamwork across the system: GPs, hospitals, dentists, and ICBs will have stronger links, improving communication and making it easier to coordinate care.
- Reduced pressure on services: With better training and collaboration, services will be more efficient, meaning less duplication of work for staff and quicker responses for patients.
- Healthier communities: By improving access and reducing gaps in care, patients will receive support earlier, leading to better long-term health outcomes.
These will be measured through a variety of qualitative and quantitative measures (Early Diagnosis performance, post education surveys, etc).
