First primary care organisations in Cheshire and Merseyside achieve full adoption of the NHS Prevention Pledge
Tuesday, 8 September 2026
Three primary care organisations in Cheshire and Merseyside have become the first in the region to achieve full adoption of the NHS Prevention Pledge, demonstrating their commitment to improving population health, reducing health inequalities and embedding prevention into everyday practice.
Central Liverpool Primary Care Network (PCN), Merepark Medical Centre in Alsager and SWAGGA PCN in South Liverpool have each received an Adoption Award in recognition of their success in fully embedding the NHS Prevention Pledge framework across their organisations.
Developed through NHS Cheshire and Merseyside's Population Health Programme and Health Equalities Group (HEG), the NHS Prevention Pledge helps NHS organisations strengthen their focus on prevention and tackle avoidable ill health across the region. It provides a structured framework to help improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.
Prevention is a key priority for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and supports the ambition set out in the 10 Year Health Plan for England to shift the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention. While health outcomes have improved over recent years, many people across Cheshire and Merseyside still experience preventable illness and inequalities in health.
Through the NHS Prevention Pledge, organisations are supported to take meaningful action to improve health and wellbeing, tackle the root causes of poor health and create healthier communities for patients, staff and local people.
The primary care model of the Prevention Pledge was introduced in 2024 and is built around six core commitments, including embedding prevention into governance and decision-making, tackling health inequalities through partnership working, strengthening the role of primary care organisations as anchor institutions, promoting Making Every Contact Count approaches, creating health-promoting environments and supporting workforce wellbeing.
To achieve full adoption, organisations must demonstrate and evidence progress across all six commitments, delivering a minimum of 12 actions and showing measurable outcomes. Participating organisations also share learning and best practice, helping to spread innovation and accelerate improvement across the wider healthcare system.
As of this summer, a further 15 primary care organisations are working towards adoption of the NHS Prevention Pledge.
The achievements of Central Liverpool PCN, Merepark Medical Centre and SWAGGA PCN highlight how primary care is playing a leading role in preventing ill health, supporting communities and helping people live healthier lives for longer. Their work is already providing valuable learning that can help other organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside on their prevention journeys.
Prof. Ian Ashworth, Director of Population Health for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said:
"Congratulations to Central Liverpool PCN, Merepark Medical Centre and SWAGGA PCN on becoming the first primary care organisations in Cheshire and Merseyside to achieve full adoption of the NHS Prevention Pledge.
"Prevention is fundamental to improving the health and wellbeing of our population and reducing the inequalities that continue to affect too many people across our region. These organisations have demonstrated real leadership by embedding prevention into everyday practice and creating healthier environments for their patients, staff and local communities.
"Their achievement shows what can be accomplished when prevention is placed at the heart of healthcare delivery, and we look forward to supporting more organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside to follow their example."
For further information on the Prevention Pledge in Cheshire and Merseyside, please visit our website here - NHS Prevention Pledge - NHS Cheshire and Merseyside