Here, Mia Skelly, talks about her role as a general practice nurse, as well as her involvement in strategic thinking and decision-making.
A list of current job vacancies, as advertised by Hallam Medical.
This summer has seen us celebrating 30 years of Education For Health, saying goodbye and good luck to our former CEO, Monica Fletcher, and extending a warm welcome to our new CEO, Dr Linda Edwards (see p. 8). Exciting times ahead, as we move into our next era.
Eight years ago I was thrilled to take up the opportunity to work at Education for Health, and now I feel privileged to also be taking on the role as editor-in-chief of this journal. As a GPN for over 20 years, I fully appreciate the imperative for keeping up to date and well informed. During the course of any one day, you can never be quite sure what problems will come through your door next. It’s what makes the role so interesting — but arduous too.
Welcome to this latest issue of GPN. We are delighted to share the latest news in the world of Education for Health, especially as we are at the peak of our 30th anniversary celebrations!
Our 30th anniversary is an important milestone in our history. We have grown in that time from a provider of asthma courses to respiratory specialists and have embraced other long-term conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.We are immensely proud of our charity’s history and that while Education for Health has evolved significantly over the last 30 years, improved patient outcomes has been a constant focus for everything we do.
This is a very special year for Education for Health, as the charity is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Thanks to the ambition, passion and hard work of its staff, trainers, trustees and partners, Education for Health has grown from humble beginnings into a highly respected leader in providing education for healthcare professionals.
Anyone working in general practice would not disagree that there are significant challenges, with an increasing workload, an ageing population, and increasingly complex medical problems being diagnosed and managed. In addition, the significant underinvestment of staff working in primary care compared with the secondary care sector is now manifesting in problems associated with GP and general practice nurse (GPN) recruitment and retention (Primary Care Workforce Commission, 2015).
Allergy UK is the leading national patient information charity, providing advice and support to the estimated 21 million people living with allergic disease in the UK.
Allergic disorders are now the most common chronic conditions in children and young people, encompassing asthma, eczema, food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and drug allergy (European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology [EAACI], 2016).
The workforce problems in general practice are well known. The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) survey of general practice nurses (GPNs) published in 2015 showed that of the sample responding to the survey, approximately a third were planning to retire by 2020. Even if this were not the case, there is already a shortage of trained GPNs, just at a time when demographic changes mean demand for skilled nursing in primary care is higher than ever.
Every stroke survivor deserves the chance to make their best possible recovery, and nurses have a crucial role to play in achieving this. The condition has a greater disability impact on an individual than any other chronic disease, and there’s no ‘one-sizefits all’ solution when it comes to supporting stroke survivors with their recovery.
