Primary Care Activity Report (PCAR)
The PCAR was introduced in 2016/17 to support greater assurance and oversight of NHS England’s primary care commissioning responsibilities. It replaced what had often been variable and ad hoc requests for information with a more systematic approach.
Frequency: annual
Background to the collection
The primary care commissioning activity report (PCAR) was introduced in 2016/17 to support greater assurance and oversight of NHS England’s primary medical care commissioning responsibilities. It replaced what had often been variable and ad hoc requests for information with a more systematic approach.
The collection focuses on key operational areas for commissioned general practice services. The key areas of interest include
- management of contractual performance
- procurement and expiry of contracts
- availability of services, including closed lists.
- incorporation requests
Data is collected and submitted by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) as they have delegated primary medical care commissioning responsibilities.
Launch and submission dates
| Reporting period name | Submission start date | Submission deadline date |
|---|---|---|
| PCAR-Annual-2024-25 | 1 July 2025 | 12 August 2025 |
Last edited: 11 August 2025 3:47 pm