General Practice Nurse

Overview

General Practice Nurses (GPN) are an integral part of the general practice team. They are highly skilled professionals who have specific knowledge and characteristics which enable them to work autonomously as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Scope of Practice

Nurses play a vital and evolving role within general practice, forming the backbone of high-quality, patient-centred primary care. Working closely with GPs and multidisciplinary teams, general practice nurses provide a wide range of clinical and preventive services — from managing long-term conditions and conducting health checks to administering vaccinations and delivering health education.

These skilled professionals are often the first point of contact for patients, helping to ensure continuity of care, early intervention, and holistic support for individuals and families. With opportunities to specialise in areas such as chronic disease management, women’s health, and minor illness, nursing in general practice offers a dynamic and rewarding career that makes a real difference in community health.

Whether newly qualified or experienced, general practice nurses are essential in shaping the future of primary care — promoting wellbeing, preventing illness, and supporting patients at every stage of life.

Role Responsibilities

Typical duties include:

• Chronic disease management – supporting patients with long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma, COPD, and hypertension through regular reviews, monitoring, and lifestyle advice.
• Health screening and assessments – conducting health checks, cervical screening, blood pressure monitoring, and other routine assessments.
• Vaccinations and immunisations – administering childhood, travel, flu, and other vaccination programmes safely and efficiently.
• Wound care and dressings – providing assessment, treatment, and ongoing care for wounds, ulcers, and post-surgical sites.
• Women’s and men’s health services – including contraception advice, sexual health screening, and support with menopause or prostate health.
• Health promotion and patient education – encouraging healthier lifestyles through weight management, smoking cessation, and disease prevention advice.
• Triage and minor illness management – assessing, treating, or referring patients presenting with minor injuries or illnesses.
• Support for vulnerable groups – assisting elderly, disabled, and at-risk patients to access appropriate care and resources.
• Record keeping and clinical governance – maintaining accurate patient records, adhering to practice policies, and ensuring high standards of infection control and confidentiality.
• Mentorship and leadership – working as part of a multidisciplinary team, mentoring healthcare assistants or student nurses, and contributing to service development within the practice.

Getting into General Practice

To be successful in this role, candidates should demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and experience required to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate nursing care within a general practice setting.

While specific requirements may vary between practices, ad those will gain the core competency once employed, the following criteria are commonly sought:

• Registered Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration
• Degree in Nursing or equivalent qualification
• Evidence of recent and relevant clinical experience, ideally within a primary care or community setting
• Competence in core clinical skills such as immunisation, cervical cytology, wound care, health screening, and chronic disease management (e.g. asthma, COPD, diabetes, hypertension)
• Mentor / Practice Assessor qualification and experience supervising students or Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW)
• Experience in minor illness management or triage
• Experience in travel health, family planning, or women’s health services
• Previous experience working as a General Practice Nurse
• Independent or Supplementary Prescribing qualification (V300)

Training and Development

• CPD – Continuing Professional Development | Suffolk & North East Essex Training Hub A variety of free educational and development training opportunities are available for nursing colleagues.

• Cervical Screening: Education and Training guidance page – outlines the national pathway and e-learning resources including Cervical Sample Taker Update Training module (via e-LfH) is created for all sample takers in England. Please contact the Training Hub if you are interested in undertaking Cytology training and see the FAQs document.

• Diabetes UK resources for professionals to improve care.

• Education for Health is an organisation providing accredited training and professional development for General Practice Nurses. Offers updates, workshops, and Level 5–7 modules in long-term condition management, including heart failure, diabetes, COPD, and asthma.

• e-Learning for health is a national online learning platform that provides high-quality, free educational resources for the UK health and care workforce.

• Faculty of Sexual Health and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) is part of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and is the UK’s leading body for family planning and reproductive health. It provides high-quality training, qualifications, and events to support healthcare professionals in delivering safe, evidence-based care.

• GPN Preceptorship Nurse preceptorship is a structured program where an experienced nurse mentors and supports a newly qualified nurse to develop confidence, competence, and professionalism while transitioning into independent practice. For more information please email the Training Hub – [email protected]

• Immunisation & Flu Immunisation Training in Primary Care | Suffolk & North East Essex Training Hub

• NaTHNaC develops, updates, and disseminates evidence-based guidance for travel health, offering a consistent standard for healthcare practitioners advising travellers.

• Primary Care Respiratory Society a nationally recognised resource for healthcare professionals in respiratory care. Offers practical resources, guidance, and an annual two-day conference focused on best practice and innovation.

• RCN General Practice Nursing Forum is a dedicated network and platform within the the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) for members/non-members who have an interest in or are working in general practice nursing.

• Skills for Health provides free guidance, resources, and case studies.

• Standards for Student Supervision Assessment (SSSA) Training – In January 2019 the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) introduced new Standards for supporting learning and assessment in practice which has driven a change in the model for supervision and assessment of nursing students. For more information please email the Training Hub – [email protected]

• TREND-UK Training, Research and Education for Nurses in Diabetes provides free, high-quality educational resources for all healthcare professionals involved in diabetes care. Open to practitioners worldwide, TREND supports ongoing learning and best practice in the prevention, management, and treatment of diabetes.