Taking the temperature of practice nursing

Many of the current cohort approaching retirement, and new nurses turning their backs on GP surgeries that tend to offer poorer pay than the NHS settings.

Our survey of practice nurses, the results of which are revealed in the latest issue of Nursing in Practice, lift the lid on exactly what they face as they attempt to negotiate better terms with their GP employers.

One was told to return to hospital if she wanted a pay rise; another reported that their practice refused to pay their indemnity. Our results show exactly what proportion is getting a pay rise, and how many are receiving an appraisal each year.

We also interview Lord Nigel Crisp, chair of the Nursing Now campaign, on how the campaign went global and what primary care nursing in the UK can learn from other countries.