General practice nurses are influencers, prescribing authorities and pivotal decision-makers in clinical care, a unique report from Cogora reveals.

The Power of Practice Nurses explores the value of general practice nurses (GPNs) within primary care as their remit evolves within the changing NHS landscape.

It highlights how their central role in prescribing and the purchasing of medicines as well as their strong relationship with patients makes GPNs a high-value audience for industry.

Based on an exclusive survey of more than 600 members of the Nursing in Practice audience as well as feedback from its trusted readers, the report reveals how GPNs position themselves as influential and clinically vital figures within the NHS; 49% prescribe medicines, 70% are conducting regular reviews across a range of different clinical areas and nearly half are changing medications or dosages when needed.

Furthermore 41% directly influence the ordering and purchasing of medicines and monitoring equipment for asthma and COPD and 35% do the same within diabetes, while 48% lead cost-saving prescribing initiatives.

Their influence expands across a range of clinical areas including diabetes, COPD and asthma, contraception, women’s health, wound care and the delivery of vaccinations.

The report, which is led by a foreword written by executive director of the Royal College of Nursing, England, Patricia Marquis, also highlights how GPNs are often operational leaders and play a much bigger role within the running of the GP practice than they’re given credit for.

A GPN and prescriber quoted in the report describes nurses as the “real jewel of any practice” as they take on a huge amount of responsibility by coordinating the delivery of care, training staff, ensuring compliance, and managing nursing teams.

They lead initiatives around clinical policy, quality improvement, and clinical audits and are instrumental in helping practices meeting Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) – clinical objectives that directly affect practice funding and performance metrics.

GPNs’ longevity within the practice also means they develop deep, trusting relationships with patients – essential when introducing or modifying medications.

As GP, associate trainer and medical writer Dr Keith Hopcroft writes in the report: “All this valued skill and input brings with it influence. The nursing voice is highly significant within the practice.

“When one of our nurses suggests a change to wound dressing regimes, the purchase of a FeNO machine to improve asthma diagnosis, or a revamp of our cardiac failure protocol to incorporate the latest evidence, we listen. And act.”

The report, written by Cogora’s director of content Gemma Collins is part of Nursing in Practice’s How Nurses Count campaign which aims to aims to highlight the true value of GPNs by demonstrating their leadership, innovation and influence.

Download the report in full here, and for more information on how to reach our audience of practice nurses, please contact us today.

The second episode of The Nursing in Practice Podcast is now live, with insights from leading voices in nursing on growing the strength of the nursing workforce in general practice, and why this is important in the context of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan.

In the episode, Madeleine Anderson, news and features writer at Nursing in Practice, interviews Steph Lawrence, chief executive of The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN), and Angie Hack, lead of the QICNs GPN Network.

They discuss the depth and breadth of the general practice nurse role, why it offers an attractive nursing career, and the importance of high-quality preceptorship to support nurses in new roles to improve recruitment and retention in general practice. 

We hear more from Felicity Weaving, a newly qualified general practice nurse based in Surrey, who describes her first-hand experience of entering the profession straight from university. She shares what she has learned so far as a GPN, and how her colleagues have supported her move into general practice. 

Nursing in Practice editor Carolyn Scott also updates on Nursing in Practice’s How Nurses Count campaign. This campaign is spotlighting the crucial work of practice nurses, to amplify their voices, and demonstrate the profound difference their clinical expertise makes to patients and communities.

Future episodes will continue with cutting edge conversations with nurses, leaders and innovators, with discussion on nurse-led advances in primary care, clinical practice and NHS reform.

The launch episode of the Nursing in Practice Podcast last month focused on how the 10-year health plan could transform general practice nursing, introduced the new How Nurses Count campaign, and provided an update on general practice nurse pay.

The Nursing in Practice Podcast is hosted on Buzzsprout and is available on Spotify and Apple Music. Listen now.

For details on our upcoming podcast episodes, and sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch today.

Nursing in Practice has launched a podcast to discuss key issues facing nurses working in general practice and in the community.

Produced by the Nursing in Practice team, the first episode of The Nursing in Practice Podcast asks how the 10-year health plan could change general practice nursing, shares details of the new Nursing in Practice How Nurses Count campaign and discusses an update on general practice nurse pay.

Leading the production of the launch episode, Madeleine Anderson, news and features writer at Nursing in Practice, interviews Kim Ball, professional lead for primary care at the Royal College of Nursing, and Frances Baverstock, lead nurse for primary care at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and RCN General Practice Nurse Forum member, about the recently launched 10-year plan and the need to recognise the expertise GPNs bring to primary care.

Carolyn Scott, Nursing in Practice editor, discusses the Nursing in Practice ‘How Nurses Count’ campaign, which is spotlighting the leadership, clinical expertise and financial contributions of practice nurses to the primary care workforce.

Megan Ford, Nursing in Practice’s deputy editor, analyses findings from the Nursing in Practice General Practice Nurse Pay: Salary Survey of the Profession 2025, which was co-authored with our sister title Management in Practice and received responses from hundreds of practice nurses, and gives an update on recent developments around pay.

Nursing in Practice provides general practice nurses and community nurses a thriving platform to consider the latest news, clinical and professional developments in primary care, keep up to date with CPD and national guidance, through clinical updates, news analysis, exclusive interviews and in-depth features.

Future episodes will include cutting edge conversations with nurses, leaders and innovators, with discussion on nurse-led advances in primary care, clinical practice and NHS reform.

The Nursing in Practice Podcast is hosted on Buzzsprout and is available on Spotify and Apple Music. Listen now.

For details on our upcoming podcast episodes, and sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch today.

Nursing in Practice has launched the campaign How Nurses Count to highlight the role of the nurse in general practice.

This will champion the nurse role, highlighting nurses’ clinical expertise, their impact as part of the general practice team, and their unique relationship and influence with patients.

The timing for the How Nurses Count campaign is crucial, with a range of opportunities for nurses having been outlined in the government’s new 10 Year Health Plan for England which promises fundamental change for the NHS.

We know that nurses are leading in general practice in areas like long term conditions, women’s health, and immunisation and vaccination, which is all important for the government’s three shifts – from hospital to community, sickness to prevention and analogue to digital.

Nursing in Practice has recently reported on how nurses may be leading in the new neighbourhood health services, and that there is a planned expansion of advanced practice roles, proving how much nurses count in the primary care workforce.

What will the campaign achieve?

The work of nurses in general practice must be better valued and recognised. How Nurses Count will showcase just how nurses in general practice make a difference.

It will run for the rest of the year, with clinical case study articles, thought leadership pieces and analysis, all published as more details of the nursing role in the 10 year health plan unfolds.

The Nursing in Practice team will be asking nurses in general practice ‘How do they count?’and will look to nursing organisations and representatives of other healthcare professions for their views on exactly how the nursing role should develop.

The campaign has already begun with a survey with responses from hundreds of nurses examining key aspects of their role and will also include a How do you count? week on social media, followed by a roundtable discussing this in detail. 

To conclude How Nurses Count, a report outlining key findings will be taken to government for a response.

The Nursing in Practice campaign has been welcomed by leading nursing bodies.

For the opportunity to reach our audience of primary care nurses, through a variety of digital advertising options, please contact us today. Nursing in Practice offers a daily dose of incisive news, features, opinions, clinical advice and CPD gathered specifically for nurses in general practice and community nursing.