Study reveals barriers to retention of general practice workforce
The results of a study exploring the relationship between cultural and structural workforce issues and retention of nurses in general practice in England and Wales have been published in the journal BMC Primary Care.
Conducted between October 2023 and June 2024, the research involved 41 participants, including general practice nurses, advanced nurse practitioners, healthcare assistants, nursing associates, apprentice practitioners and nurse leaders. Data were collected through qualitative interviews and analysed using framework analysis. The study identified several key themes affecting the retention of nurses, including concerns over reduction of tasks to those meeting targets, leading to a sense of devaluation and diminished professional identity; and limited access to training and career advancement opportunities with participants reporting lack of professional growth and job satisfaction.
General practice nurses appreciated the wide scope of practice, and building long-term relationships with patients was seen as a core part of the role. Some nurses said they sought employment outside the NHS due to better pay and conditions.
Workplace bullying and lack of support were also identified as factors leading to nurses leaving their roles.
The authors concluded that their study highlights a need for policy makers, employers and professional organisations to address cultural and structural issues to improve nurse retention in general practice. Recommendations included enhancing recognition of nurses’ value, providing professional development opportunities, ensuring fair employment practices and involving nurses in decision-making processes to create a supportive and sustainable work environment.
To read the study in full, visit: https://bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-025-02813-1.
Cancer vaccine trials expanding to include patients with advanced melanoma
From May 2025, patients with advanced skin cancer will be eligible for clinical trials testing new cancer vaccines. These personalised mRNA vaccines are designed to train the immune system of a person with cancer to recognise and destroy malignant cells, preventing the disease from spreading in the body.
Cancer vaccines are already being tested among patients diagnosed with bowel cancer, aiming to improve treatment and stop the cancer recurring. NHS England has announced that their Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad will now be expanding access to these trials to patients being treated for advanced melanoma.
According to Cancer Research UK, over 17000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year across the country. Although survival rates are relatively high, around 50% of patients will not adequately respond to standard care of immunotherapy. This increases the risk of their cancer spreading and becoming more advanced.
A phase II trial, known as SCOPE, is exploring the impact of enhancing immunotherapy treatment with cancer vaccines (SCIB1 and iSCIB1+), which contain DNA from cancer cells. This combined treatment aims to activate cells in the immune system to destroy cancer cells more effectively.
The trial, coordinated by the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, will assess whether this increases the length of time that immunotherapy works, as well as any side effects of this combined approach.
In April 2025, NHS England announced that seven sites across England and Wales were already registered to refer patients to the trial, with more expected over the coming months. Once enrolled in the trial, patients will be able to take the cancer vaccine-enhanced immunotherapy for up to 2 years.
Commenting on the expansion of cancer vaccine trials to patients with advanced melanoma, the NHS national cancer director Professor Peter Johnson said:
‘Skin cancer can have a devastating impact and we know that cancer vaccines have the potential to revolutionise cancer care for patients in this country and across the world – and to save more lives… It's incredibly exciting that the NHS is expanding its world-leading programme so more patients with different types of cancer could benefit from the development of new vaccines that could stop their cancer coming back.’
For full details of the expanded clinical trial eligibility for cancer vaccines, see: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/04/skin-cancer-patients-fast-tracked-access-revolutionary-nhs-cancer-vaccine-trial.