Resources

Air pollution is a public health crisis contributing to an estimated 30,000 deaths in the UK in 2025 (Royal College of Physicians [RCP], 2025). There is no safe level of air pollution (RCP, 2025). It silently and insidiously affects us across the whole life course (Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health [RCPCH], 2024). The cumulative effect of breathing toxic air significantly impacts health outcomes, with a strong causal link between air pollution and development of lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Jiang et al, 2016). Breathing polluted air significantly worsens symptoms like cough, wheeze, chest tightness and breathlessness for people of all ages living with a lung condition. Breathing air that is polluted causes asthma attacks and asthma deaths (Stoianova et al, 2024). Infants and children are particularly vulnerable to the multi-system effects of air pollution (RCPCH, 2024).

Wonderful to read the article from Steph Lawrence MBE, chief executive, Queen's Institute of Community Nursing, who has not only articulated so clearly the complexity, centrality and importance of the GPN role, but also highlighted the experienced and yet ageing workforce and the potential issues attracting the next generations into general practice nursing. I love my job and the way it has grown over

Suicide is a stark word that provokes a deluge of emotions in all of us, including general practice nurses (GPNs) and society at large, both on a personal/community and professional level. Suicide provokes a wide range of questions and has many ramifications that ripple outwards. It can cause consternation on the part of the primary care practitioner by questioning themselves and their actions and also on the part of the families and friends while coping with grief and all asking, among other things, should I have acted or spoken differently. Suicide and attempted suicide impacts all of us, our colleagues, our patients and ourselves.

Minor surgical procedures are carried out routinely in many practices in the UK and while there is a low risk of infection as a result of these procedures, this risk is not completely absent. General practice nurses (GPNs) are often those who take responsibility for infection prevention and control (IPC), including decontamination, within the practice and this may also be the case in relation to minor surgery. Nurses need to ensure that they are competent in all related procedures to minimise the risk of infection as far as possible. This article considers the different elements that need to be in place at different stages of the process, including prior, during and after the procedure, including any reprocessing of instruments used.

Recently, it seems that Westminster politics has started to resemble that old joke about London buses – you wait ages for a new prime minister, then a whole succession of them come along at once.

Still, while we strive to remain politically neutral at the GPN, it has been refreshing to see that Andy Burnham, the latest holder of the keys to number 10 (or the poisoned chalice, whichever way you choose to look at it), is at least making the right noises about putting social care at the top of his agenda.

Meningitis is uncommon, but it remains one of the infections that general practice nurses (GPNs) need to keep front of mind because deterioration can be rapid and the consequences devastating. This article explains what meningitis is, why meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal B disease matter in UK practice, how symptoms may present across age groups, and what GPNs can do to support early recognition, urgent escalation, vaccination uptake and recovery.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality across the UK, with around 1,100 people diagnosed every day (Cancer Research UK, 2026). Early identification is critical to improving outcomes, and primary care is the frontline of that effort. General practice nurses (GPNs) are often the first point of contact for patients presenting with vague, non-specific, or seemingly unrelated symptoms – and their holistic approach places them in a unique position to recognise early warning signs, initiate timely investigations, and support patients through what can be an anxious and uncertain period.

Acne vulgaris is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory skin conditions affecting adolescents, with epidemiological data suggesting that up to 85% of individuals aged 12–18 years experience acne to some degree (Bhate and Williams, 2013). Although often regarded as a benign and self-limiting condition of puberty, acne may persist for several years and is associated with significant physical sequelae, including permanent scarring and post-inflammatory dyspigmentation, as well as profound psychosocial morbidity. During adolescence, acne occurs at a time of critical psychological development, when self-image, peer relationships and social identity are being formed. The visibility of facial acne can therefore disproportionately affect self-esteem, confidence and mental wellbeing. Despite this, acne is frequently under-treated in primary care, either due to misconceptions regarding its inevitability or concerns surrounding treatment safety in younger populations. General practice nurses are often the first point of contact for adolescents presenting with acne and play a pivotal role in early recognition, education, treatment initiation and ongoing support. A clear understanding of acne pathophysiology, modifying factors and evidence-based treatment pathways is essential to ensure timely intervention and prevention of long-term sequelae.

It is no secret that lung health is in crisis in this country. While there has been a dedicated focus on improving cardiovascular and cancer care, respiratory has lagged, and it is the three million people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the UK (Whittaker et al, 2025) who are bearing the brunt of this as they struggle to get a diagnosis and optimum care.

Fewer than one in 10 people with COPD (8.8%) surveyed by charity Asthma + Lung UK are receiving the 'five fundamentals' of care recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2019; Asthma + Lung UK, 2025a). This includes smoking cessation, vaccination, pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), personalised self-management planning and optimised treatment for comorbidities.

General practice nursing is often described as the backbone of primary care. The phrase is familiar, and it is true, but it can also obscure as much as it reveals. Backbones are expected to hold things up. They are rarely seen, seldom thanked, and too often noticed only when they begin to fail. The findings from a recent Queen's Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) national survey of general practice nurses (drawn from responses of over 1,000 nurses working in general practice across the UK) offer a timely and uncomfortable reminder that a highly skilled, deeply committed workforce is being asked to sustain an increasingly complex workload without the infrastructure, recognition, employment conditions or protected time required to do so safely.