What a year!

2022 was another tough year for all. This appears more evident for general practice, receiving bad press in the tabloids and on other media platforms for difficulties in patients accessing appointments and the perceived lack of face to face appointments. Again, it was disappointing that general practice nurses (GPNs) were not mentioned at all, even though GPNs have continued to see patients throughout. Are we invisible?

With rising flu cases and COVID-19 infections continuing to increase in England, Wales and Scotland in the week ending 5 December 2022 (Office for National Statistics, 2022), we may be in for a bumpy start to the year. The estimated percentage of people living in private households (those not in care homes or other communal establishments) testing positive for COVID-19 was: 2.01% in England (1 in 50 people), 1.84% in Wales (1 in 55 people), 2.11% in Northern Ireland (1 in 45 people) and 1.91% in Scotland (1 in 50 people) (Office for National Statistics, 2022).