Each local NHS England team has three Local Professional Networks (LPNs) covering pharmacy, dentistry and optometry. The LPNs are intended to provide clinical input into the operation of the local team and local commissioning decisions. They are also the focus for NHS England’s work on quality improvement for the three local services. CCGs undertake a similar role for their constituent medical practices.

NHS England has said that LPNs will:

• support implementation of national strategy and policy at local level;
• work with other key stakeholders on the development and delivery of local priorities, some of which go beyond the scope of primary care commissioning; and
• provide local clinical leadership.

Pharmacy LPN specific functions include:

• supporting local authorities with the development of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA);
• considering new programmes of work around self-care and long term conditions management in community pharmacy;
• working with CCGs and others on medicines optimisation; and
• ‘holding the ring’ on services commissioned locally by local authorities (LAs) and CCGs, highlighting inappropriate gaps or overlaps.

In June 2013 NHS England published the Local Professional Networks single operating framework which guides the work of LPNs in each local team.

NHS England organises an LPN Assembly, which brings together the LPNs (for all three professions) and NHS England’s central teams to work together.