Resources

It’s good to see our 'Practice matters' piece highlight the new Department of Health and Social Care clinical guidelines for alcohol, which incorporates the lived experience of people who have been through alcohol treatment and recovery. As GPNs we can ask people about diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking, drugs, screen time, gambling etc and guide those interested to resources that may help them with lifestyle changes for health gain. Drinkaware is one resource I signpost people to. As well as lots of key facts, hints and tips to help people reduce their alcohol consumption, it has a Drinking Check incorporating the WHO AUDIT tool and a unit and calorie counter.

GPNs act as the gatekeeper for many conversations within primary care, and with many studies highlighting that nursing is one of the most trusted professions, it is no secret that alcohol consumption discussions become a core part of conversations with patients. These conversations can start due to Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) requirements, but the role of GPNs in holistic assessment goes further than this to help provide supportive measures and guidance around what services may be available. Having direct clinical guidance will no doubt enhance the already high-quality level conversations that are taking place in general practice by GPNs, but it is important that they can also escalate to other members of staff if they feel that this skill is not within their remit. However, through this article it is clear how the role of the community in identification, referral and advice can help shape the future conversations around alcohol dependence, and GPNs will be key through their unique position in the community and strength at building strong therapeutic relationships.

One in three people live with a chronic condition*. This translates to more than two billion individuals facing daily challenges that often go unseen. Convatec partners with people every day to help them overcome these challenges and live life on their terms.

In 2025, Convatec commissioned new research to explore the continuum of chronic care — from diagnosis to building support networks to navigating stigma and misunderstanding. This survey gathered insights from more than 10,000 adults, including 3,400 people living with chronic conditions across the UK, Brazil, Germany, Italy and the United States, with a particular focus on ostomy and continence care.

It is widely reported that one in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, with a person being diagnosed every 90 seconds (Macmillan Cancer Support, 2025). This very sobering statistic is made even more real by the connectivity and interdependence we have with people across our working and social lives. Efforts to discover new cures and treatments for cancer continue at pace, as does genetic research to understand how certain cancers develop, why certain people may be more affected and may respond to treatment in different ways.

Most women will be familiar with this sentence, usually uttered moments before a women’s health procedure. But, what if you do find it painful?

Cervical screenings are really important to me because of family medical history, and they offer early identification of abnormal cells before they develop into cervical cancer. But the arrival of the invitation letter to my next screening would bring on a sense of dread as I recalled the excruciating pain I experienced last time.

The prevalence of multimorbidity is increasing in the UK, and not just in older patients. Improvements in treating acute illnesses and increased awareness of the impact of mental health conditions on people’s physical health mean that multimorbidity should be addressed in a large number of patients. This article uses two case studies to illustrate what this looks like in practice and how general practice nurses can work with patients to improve their overall health.

Testicular cancer can affect men of any age but is most commonly seen in young males. The disease is often asymptomatic and is detected when the patient finds a painless lump in the testes. The condition is associated with a good prognosis if found and treated early. This article gives an overview of the types of testicular cancer, its symptoms, management, and complications, with a view to increasing knowledge of this malignancy among nurses and non-medical prescribers.

Intertriginous dermatitis is a common inflammatory condition affecting opposing skin surfaces within anatomical folds, arising from the combined effects of moisture, friction and impaired barrier function. It is increasingly recognised as a subtype of moisture-associated skin damage and represents a significant burden across acute, community and long-term care settings, particularly among older adults and individuals with multimorbidity. This article examines the epidemiology, risk factors and pathophysiology of intertrigo, with particular emphasis on populations at heightened risk, including those with obesity, diabetes mellitus, immobility or continence impairment. It outlines a structured approach to history-taking, clinical examination and differential diagnosis, highlighting challenges related to skin tone variation and the identification of secondary infection. Evidence-informed management strategies are discussed, encompassing uncomplicated intertrigo, infection-associated disease and targeted care for high-risk anatomical sites. The article emphasises the central role of general practice nurses in early recognition, accurate clinical assessment, antimicrobial stewardship and preventative leadership. A proactive, person-centred approach to prevention and longterm management is advocated to reduce recurrence, prevent complications, and improve patient outcomes.

This is the first article in a series of pieces on less known long-term conditions. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited disorders caused by a group of autosomal recessive gene mutation inherited disorders. It affects the haemoglobin (Hb) in the blood and is a devastating chronic condition which causes significant morbidity, resulting in markedly reduced life expectancy (Bhatia and Sheth, 2015). General practice nurses (GPNs) can have a key role in the care and management of patients with SCD, so having an understanding of what it is, who it affects, its symptoms and complications, as well as essential immunisations and treatments is important.

This article examines the transition process from paediatric to adult healthcare for young people with complex medical needs, focusing on how to increase the involvement of general practice. Poorly managed transitions can lead to increased morbidity and mortality in young adults. Guidelines, including those from the Care Quality Commission (CQC, 2014) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2023), recommend greater involvement of general practice in the transition process, yet limited guidance is offered on implementation. To identify opportunities to improve the transition process, an audit within a specific region was conducted to assess current practices. This identified a small cohort of patients undergoing transition. Based on these findings and consultations with stakeholders, a series of targeted interventions were developed. These included using a dedicated SNOMED code to track transition, use of care coordinators to address additional vulnerabilities, and implementation of a ‘Transition on a page’ document to streamline communication between general practice and secondary care. Although several challenges prevented a pilot from proceeding as planned, the proposals were approved by the local integrated care board (ICB) and disseminated by clinical governance leads to all general practice staff for ongoing embedding. The hospital transition team will review implementation to assess impact. This project highlights a nationwide issue requiring further action to establish effective transition practices across healthcare settings.