The COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced. The impending deployment of approved vaccines presents an opportunity to return to a state of normality for everyone; although it could present challenges in general practice.
2020 has certainly been challenging, but haven't we done well. We may be exhausted, but we are resilient and willing to embrace the next chapter … COVID vaccines! Could the imminent COVID vaccine programme change the landscape of general practice and nursing forever? With legislation changes for non-clinical band 4 staff to be trained to step up to be immunisers, is there potential that this would be continued in the post-COVID world? Discussions need to be had now on how we can assure training is appropriate with a standardised competency framework that will need sign off from a supervisor – which could be general practice nurses.
As general practice nurses we are pivotal in how we communicate the benefits of having the COVID vaccine to patients and the wider population; therefore, it is vital that we are up-to-date with the constantly changing flow of information. With information changing daily we do not want to send the wrong messages and cause further confusion, leading to lack of confidence in us and the vaccines.
To ensure we are up to date, we must be involved with discussions now. If your clinical commissioning group (CCG)/primary care network (PCN)/surgery/lead nurse has not approached you yet, you need to be asking what role you will have in the COVID vaccination programme.
As well as COVID vaccination, we will also need to continue to provide our usual high standard of care and access to our patients with long-term conditions, cervical smears and childhood immunisations – a challenge I have no doubt we will rise to.
Chief Nursing Officer for England, Dr Ruth May, has sent a heart-felt message to us all to mark the end of this challenging year.
‘What a year of extreme changes for providing health care and advice through face-to-face and non face-to-face consultations. The speed in which this was implemented and the ease at which GPNs and ANPs in general practice embraced the new technology was – and is – a credit to your adaptability and resilience. And I know you will bring enthusiasm, innovation and your unique skills and knowledge across the life span to the imminent roll out of the COVID vaccines. I want you to know how much I appreciate your amazing leadership of our profession. I'm grateful to you all.'
Dr Ruth May, CNO #teamCNO
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