The General Practice Forward View (GPFV) published in April 2016 pledged a major expansion of the primary care workforce. To meet rising demand, members of the primary care team, including nurses, pharmacists, mental health therapists and physician associates will play an increasing role in providing day to day co-ordination and delivery of care.

To meet rising demand, members of the primary care team, including nurses, pharmacists, mental health therapists and physician associates will play an increasing role in providing day to day co-ordination and delivery of care.

To provide a highly skilled general practice nursing (GPN) workforce, the GPFV included investment to fund a support and development programme for nursing teams in primary care over four years. The plan is aimed at raising the profile of general practice nursing as a first destination career, improving access to training, increasing the number of pre-registration nurse placements, enhancing retention and supporting return to work schemes for practice nurses.

To support and strengthen the GPN workforce, NHS England commissioned Ipsos Mori to undertake a series of focus groups with GPNs to identify the issues related to recruitment, retention and return for nurses into general practice nursing.

The research provided us with helpful evidence direct from GPNs about their role and the challenges they face, backed up with proposals to help:

• increase the number of pre-registration nurse placements
• improve retention of the existing nursing workforce
• support for return to work schemes for practice nurses and
• improve the training capacity in general practice.

Health Education England (HEE) published General Practice Nursing (GPN) Workforce Development Plan – Recognise, Rethink and Reform, in March 2017.  This workforce development plan included a series of recommendations for organisations that can influence the general practice nursing workforce to take forward and builds on the findings from Ipsos Mori research, including research published by the Queens Nursing Institute (QNI) General Practice Nursing in the 21 Century – a time of opportunity. The recommendations from the HEE plan have been a key consideration in the development of the GPN Ten Point Action Plan. The research and the Ten Point Action Plan also aligns with and supports delivery of Leading Change, Adding Value (LCAV); a framework for nursing, midwifery and care staff, published in May 2016 by helping GPNs to focus on where change can be made and how to do this.

For further information and updates

General practice nursing ten point plan.

For regular information and updates, please use the following resources to stay in touch and how you can help shape, lead, and transform general practice nursing.

• Sign up to the CNO Bulletin
• Follow us on Twitter – @NHS Englandand @teamCNO_
• Join in the conversation using #weareprimarycareand #teamCNO
• Join the ‘GPN Single Point’ (part of the Primary Care Workforce Future NHS Workspace – Registration to Future NHS required).
• Watch out for information in your local GP/Primary Care bulletins.