RCN Summit for Primary Care (GPN focused)

The RCN is having an invite only summit specifically aimed at primary care and GPN focused – see more information below

Venue: Royal College of Nursing HQ

Date/time: 1^st July – 9:30 – 5pm

Overview

Winter brings some of the greatest pressures faced by health and care services, with seasonal infections, rising demand and workforce challenges combining to create significant strain across all settings.

As the largest professional group in the healthcare workforce, nurses are at the heart of the response. Their leadership – whether on the frontline of infection prevention and control, coordinating patient flow, supporting vaccination uptake, or sustaining the resilience of their teams – is critical to maintaining safe, effective care during the most demanding months of the year.

This summit brings together nurse leaders, policy experts and frontline staff to reflect on last winter and lead planning for the challenges of 2026/27. Through plenary sessions and interactive breakout discussions, the summit will not just review the past, but make nurses central to shaping the future. It will equip delegates with the insights, confidence and connections needed to lead through the months ahead, making sure nursing voices remain central to winter planning and delivery across the health and care system.

Content

•  09:30 – 10:00 | Registration, coffee and networking
• 10:00 – 10:05 | Welcome to the summit
• 10:05 – 10:40 | What did we learn from winter 2025/26?
• 10:40 – 11:00 | Reflections and discussion
• 11:00 – 11:30 | Nurse leadership in times of pressure
• 11:30 – 11:45 | Coffee and networking
• 11:45 – 12:25 | Panel discussion: Leading IPC through winter pressures
• 12:25 – 12:35 | Symposium
• 12:35 – 13:15 | Panel discussion: Nursing leadership – lessons from last winter and priorities for 2026/27
• 13:15 – 13:55 | Lunch and networking
• 13:55 – 14:25 | Reducing winter demand through proactive, nurse-led prevention
• 14:25 – 14:55 | Vaccination and communication: Building public and staff confidence
• 14:55 – 15:35 | Breakout sessions: Practical leadership challenges
• 15:35 – 16:00 | Feedback from breakout groups
• 16:00 – 16:10 | Comfort break
• 16:10 – 16:50 | Building resilient nursing teams for winter
• 16:50 – 17:00 | Closing reflections and action planning

*Booking: This is invite only so anyone interested needs to get in touch with me at [email protected]