Patricia Marquis: ‘General practice nurses are key drivers of innovation’

Speaking in support of the Nursing in Practice How Nurses Count campaign, Patricia Marquis, the Royal College of Nursing’s executive director for England, shares her thoughts on the importance of nurses in general practice. Today, nurses in general practice are independent clinicians who lead in assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, planning, and delivering care, she emphasises. 

General practice is the bedrock of the NHS and its nursing workforce, made up of highly skilled professionals who keep communities safe and healthy, and are vital to the success of all health and care services.

The recent long-term plan for the NHS signalled a move to more care in communities and a shift to prevention to help improve public health and reduce pressures on our regularly overwhelmed hospitals.

Nurses working in general practice have to be part of that ambition if it is to succeed.

Today, nurses in general practice are independent clinicians who lead in assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, planning, and delivering care.

Their expertise covers a wide range of programmes, including childhood immunisations, cervical screening, complex long-term condition management, and women’s health initiatives.

In addition to their clinical roles, general practice nurses serve as educators, mentors, team leaders, and key drivers of innovation within the healthcare system.

The rising demand for appointments and increasing patient expectations are reflected in recent data from NHS England, which shows that nearly one in five appointments in general practice were conducted by nurses.

This clearly demonstrates how nurses really do have an important role to play.

Although general practice nurses are vital to health and care, they are often overlooked within the NHS.

Speak to any patient and they will tell you how vital nurses working in general practice are

They frequently have to fight for a pay rise and struggle to access the vital education and development they need to continuously improve their practice and the treatment patients receive. It’s no surprise that recruiting and retaining nurses in these roles is increasingly difficult.

The RCN is committed to continuing the fight to ensure that all nursing staff in primary care are recognised and valued and no longer have to fight each year to get the pay they deserve.

Speak to any patient and they will tell you how vital nurses working in general practice are – and we must celebrate their contribution to public health.

General practice nursing is an incredible profession. All those working in it should be proud of what they do

General practice nursing is an incredible profession. All those working in it should be proud of what they do every day and we should continue to shout about how valuable this is to the whole of health and care.

It must not go unnoticed, and I would urge anyone with a positive story to tell it.

Together we can show how nurses count.

Download the Nursing in Practice the Power of Practice Nurses report – based on an exclusive Nursing in Practice survey of more than 600 GP nursing staff.