Prioritising GPN working conditions supports patient satisfaction, says RCN

Improving practice nurse working conditions is important for increasing patient satisfaction with services, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said as new polling reveals rising public concern over the pressure on general practice.

The poll findings, from the Health Foundation and Ipsos, revealed that 82% of the public were concerned about the level of pressure that GP practices are facing.

This is the highest level of concern ever recorded, and a notable rise from the 78% sharing concerns in 2024 and 73% in 2022.

Executive director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England, Patricia Marquis, said there is neither enough nursing staff or capacity to meet rising demands in general practice or A&E services.

Related Article: Nursing in Practice takes general practice nurse pay concerns to Parliament

‘Improving working conditions is crucial to turning things round and this polling shows the public know that too.

‘But in general practice, nursing staff have still yet to receive pay rises promised months ago, while those working across NHS services like A&E face burnout and lack of recognition from government. It’s little wonder many are considering leaving the profession.

‘Ministers need to recognise that delivering better services, including moving care away from hospital, means investing in those professionals are closest to the patient – that’s nursing staff.  Not acting now will damage the long-term plans for the NHS and leave patient satisfaction stalling,’ Ms Marquis said.

Almost two-fifths of the poll respondents (39%) said that access was their main concern, with decreasing A&E waiting times (34%), and improving working conditions to reduce the number of staff leaving the NHS (29%) amongst the other major concerns.

The survey also revealed that bringing down hospital waiting lists ranked fifth in the public’s priorities.

According to the poll, the biggest threats that people believe their GP practice face are: lack of doctors (41%), the pressures of an ageing population (29%), and lack of funding (27%).

The Health Foundation poll also revealed low levels of public confidence in the Government’s management of the NHS, with only 16% agreeing that the right policies were in place.

The polling took place before the 10 Year Health Plan; and the findings were more positive than before last year’s general election – when only 8% supported the Government’s plans for the NHS.

Related Article: NHSE sets out instructions for trusts on Band 5 nurse role review

Assistant director of policy at the Health Foundation, Tim Gardner, commented: ‘Overall, the public mood on health and care remains largely downbeat but there are signs that perceptions are slowly improving. Views of local health services are more positive than perceptions of how the NHS is performing overall, especially among people with recent experience of accessing care.

‘The challenge for government will be convincing the public that their plans will deliver tangible improvements in the areas they care most about. While the government has made improving NHS waiting times its headline pledge, the public’s top priority remains easier access to GP services with tackling elective waiting times only fifth among their biggest concerns.

‘Tackling unacceptably long waits for routine hospital treatment is essential, but resources are constrained and trade-offs are inevitable, so the risk is that slower progress is made on delivering the priorities that matter most to the public.’

Last week, the RCN signed a letter along with 70 other health organisations urging the health secretary to involve them in developing a new 10-year workforce plan.

Related Article: NMC unveils ‘anti-racism’ principles for nursing practice and education

The 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan, which aimed to increase NHS headcount by 60% by 2037, was rejected as unworkable. It was also criticised for its projected 4% increase of fully qualified GPs by 2036/37, compared to a 49% increase in hospital consultants.

The new plan promised by the Government will result in ‘fewer staff than projected’, but will be ‘more motivated’ and receive ‘better training’.

This week, the government confirmed that GPNs and community nurses will help make up ‘neighbourhood health teams’ across 43 services in England.