Resources

We’ve all been there, frustrated by that patient who just won’t keep an eye on their blood glucose levels or refuses to give up smoking despite the risk to their general health. In your everyday work as a general practice nurse (GPN), you know how hard it can be to persuade some patients to adopt lifestyle improvements that might be painful in the short term but will have long-term health benefits.

Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition with approximately 7.2 million cases diagnosed in the UK. This equates to about eight in every 100 people (Asthma+Lung UK, 2025a). Sadly, asthma deaths are at an all-time high and the UK has some of the worse asthma outcomes in Europe (eurostat, 2025). A recent survey suggests that many patients are not even receiving what is considered to be a ‘basic’ level of asthma care (Asthma+Lung UK, 2022). This article considers what really constitutes ‘good asthma care’ and how exactly this can be achieved in often short, primary care consultations. Patients with asthma can suffer from symptoms such as wheeze, cough, shortness of breath, tight chest, and many will have associated atopic conditions such as hay fever. It is a heterogenous disease, which means that patients experience it differently; no two asthmatic patients are the same and thus treatment and management for asthma should be tailored towards individuals and their needs.

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a common inflammatory rheumatic disease in older people. Three-quarters of people with PMR are women and individuals living in the south of England are at highest risk (Partington et al, 2018). Research indicates that around 17,244 people in England are diagnosed with PMR annually (Saha et al, 2023). This article aims to support general practice nurses (GPNs) in early recognition and diagnosis of PMR, effective treatment and prevention of complications such as blindness. It also focuses on preserving patient mobility and independence and minimising the risks associated with long-term corticosteroid treatment.

Despite the distinct advantages of new antidiabetic agents, gliclazide retains specific roles in contemporary type 2 diabetes management when prescribed judiciously. This article looks at a narrative review of current evidence examining gliclazide’s pharmacology, efficacy, safety profile, and targeted clinical applications. The main findings were that gliclazide demonstrates robust glucose-lowering efficacy (haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) reduction 11–16mmol/mol) in patients with residual beta-cell function (Simpson et al, 2013). Hypoglycaemia risk remains significant. Contemporary evidence also suggests that gliclazide does not accelerate beta-cell exhaustion (Khunti et al, 2013; Kalra et al, 2018). Specific scenarios where gliclazide is useful include short-term rescue therapy for steroid-induced hyperglycaemia, rapid glycaemic control when front-loading is appropriate, and when contraindications preclude sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Renal function monitoring is essential due to prolonged action in impairment (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2022; British National Formulary [BNF], 2024). The author concludes that gliclazide maintains validity in targeted scenarios when prescribed with individualised assessment. General practice nurses (GPNs) should ensure comprehensive hypoglycaemia education and regular patient monitoring.

Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine condition characterised by an underactive thyroid gland, resulting in a deficiency of thyroid hormones. It presents with variable symptoms, which can range from mild such as fatigue and dry skin, to more severe, such as shortness of breath. As it shares fairly wide ranging symptoms with many other common conditions, such as depression, menopause, etc, it can sometimes be missed. If left untreated, the outcome can be fatal. The condition is often diagnosed and treated in the primary care setting, and this article gives nurses and nonmedical prescribers an overview of the disease with the aim of helping them recognise and treat this condition, so as to improve outcomes and quality of life.

While seeing the advanced GPN role as distinctly different to acute ANPs within our practice, I also needed to consider symptoms and conditions which perhaps link to or commonly present in GPN appointments where we can offer value and reduce workload within the team. Hypothyroidism is in my mind one of these and yet I needed some clarity around diagnosis which Margaret Perry’s excellent and comprehensive article has provided.

The medication landscape for type 2 diabetes has changed dramatically over the last year and I needed some confirmation around where older medications such as gliclazide still had a place. Susan Camphor clearly sets out clinical scenarios where gliclazide still fits, but also situations to avoid

The days of ringing up your GP surgery and being blindly booked into a GP appointment are long-gone for the majority of surgeries in the UK. Patients are living longer, and there is increased awareness of acute and chronic conditions. Combined with NHS treatment backlogs, these factors have significantly increased demand on GP surgeries, which are struggling with limited resources.

In this article, Leanne Hume, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) independent health and social care lead nurse (Northern), general practice nurse (GPN) and Queen’s Nurse (QN), and Michelle Raddings, RCN independent health and social care lead nurse (Yorkshire and Humber), explore why research in primary care matters. They reflect on the unique role of GPNs in identifying real-world questions, shaping evidence-based practice, and leading innovation from within community settings.

Past editorials, both my own and others I have read, reflect on the joys of spring; the warmer weather and the beauty of gardens in full bloom. This year we have all of this, and I am enjoying the weather and taking time to value and appreciate nature each day. I find this form of mindfulness helpful for my overall wellbeing within a busy day-to-day routine. However, I am also aware that this time of year doesn’t bring joy for all. In particular, those with hay fever can really struggle with the kind of weather and subsequent hay fever levels we have experienced this year. Where I live, the goat willow seeds are blowing everywhere — beautiful to look at but potentially sensitising for those prone to hay fever.

Here, Callum Metcalfe-O’Shea, advanced nurse practitioner diabetes specialist and co-chair for the Practice Nurse Diabetes Forum for Norfolk, provides the first in a series of articles with direct insight into the changing practice of diabetes in primary care and how general practice nurses (GPNs) can keep up to date with new evidence. This article looks at new guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for type 2 diabetes, identifying how the implementation of sodiumglucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) as second-line therapy now takes place and how you can use these guidelines to advance practice. Consideration will be given to SGLT-2i use in practice, while recognising the importance of patient preference and individualised care at all stages.