The future of nursing in primary care

摘要

Many of the proposed solutions for the general practice workforce are centred around GPs, clinical pharmacists, paramedics, and physician associates, but do not recognise the contribution that general practice nurses (GPNs) offer. We need both more GPs and a wider variety of clinicians to help share the ever-increasing workload. Health organisations often fail to consider GPNs when planning workforce in primary care.The Queen’s Nursing Institute survey identified that 30% of GPNs plan to retire over the next 2 years, demonstrating that there is a very similar workforce issue to that of GPs.1 NHS England’s 10-point action plan for GP nursing2 suggests that another 8000 GPNs are needed to cover this shortfall by 2020. Ipsos Mori showed that very few nurses are entering general practice before the age of 40 years to start replacing those experienced nurses who are leaving.3 Unless more nurses are attracted into general practice or choose to retire later, we are approaching a cliff edge.Training for GPNs varies widely across the UK, often lacking standardisation, funding, or infrastructure.There are four key actions required to secure the future of the GPN workforce: raising the profile of general practice nursing; tackling recruitment; tackling retention; and increasing training capacity.Few school children or nursing students are aware of general practice nursing as a career option, unless they have experienced a placement in general practice.Media images of nurses usually show hospital settings rather than GP surgeries, where it is much easier to demonstrate nursing activities than in a general …