Nursing in Practice: GPN Manifesto Roundtable: Wellbeing and professional development

Objectives

Earlier this year, Nursing in Practice released its manifesto for general practice nursing for 2024.

The manifesto highlights key areas in which nurses want to see improvements, advocating for employers of GPNs, primary care networks (PCNs) and other organisations to prioritise nurse health and wellbeing, ensuring they have the support necessary to care for others. It also emphasises that nurses in primary care should have dedicated time and resources for professional development to advance their careers.

As part of the series, Nursing in Practice held its third roundtable, discussing why the workforce must be listened to, valued and given enough time to do their jobs properly and safely.

Our approach

Our portfolio of leading media brands enables us to build and nurture highly engaged communities of healthcare professionals, supported by a robust network of trusted experts and key opinion leaders.

Nursing in Practice recently interviewed three nurses about the ‘hit and miss’ nature of professional development opportunities for GPNs and the funding challenges that can hinder career advancement. These nurses—Jenny Aston, an advanced nurse practitioner in a large PCN near Cambridge; Rebecca Corneck, Director of General Practice Nursing for the Southeast London Workforce Development Hub and a Queen’s Nurse; and Rebecca Shearer, Lead Nurse at West Road Medical Centre and an advanced nurse practitioner—shared their concerns regarding GPNs and ANPs experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, and feeling ‘squeezed out’ of their roles.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) recently reported that workplace challenges and demands are contributing to a ‘mental health crisis’ among nursing staff across the UK. RCN data from September revealed a 79% increase in nursing staff seeking support for suicidal ideation through its advice service, compared to the same period in 2023.

Our attendees discussed the critical need for the workforce to be valued, heard, and provided adequate time to perform their duties effectively and safely.

Major themes covered included escalating workloads, feeling powerless, staff well-being neglected, burnout, support gaps, training challenges, and the undervalued role of a GPN.

Our panel agreed that systemic changes are urgently needed to address time pressures, training, and support. Ensuring GPNs feel valued and empowered is crucial for sustainable, effective care.

A report of the roundtable was hosted on the Nursing in Practice website and promoted to our community of healthcare professionals, via a variety of tactics, including online advertising, emails, and social media.

Outcome

Since launch, the roundtable has generated great engagement, providing an essential resource in delivering in-depth insights and fostering informed discussions on critical topics across primary care.

Using our extensive community and deep knowledge of the NHS, we produce content that addresses current challenges, trends, and innovations, providing value to HCPs and organisations alike.

Our previous Manifesto roundtable covered mental health care in GP practices, as well as the need to tackle declining childhood immunisation rates and to move towards digital platforms and apps.

Such content presents a unique opportunity for clients to align their brands with trusted, expert-led content, demonstrating thought leadership and gaining valuable exposure to our highly engaged audience. ​Contact us today for more information.

Nursing in Practice provides a platform for primary care and nurses, who make essential clinical decisions in general practice and in the community every day. Our skilled team or journalists works alongside our other primary care brands to deliver daily news, clinical education and practical expert advice, debate and analysis, which unites an active group of readers whose influence is growing. And when things are not perfect in the NHS, we don’t hesitate to enable nurses to speak out about the importance of their work and what their patients need.