Dispelling the myths around the role of a general practice nurse

General practice nurses (GPNs) are highly skilled practitioners and are essential to ensure the smooth running of general practice (NHS England and NHS Improvement, 2021). These autonomous nurses lead, support and encourage their patients to manage their long-term conditions holistically. GPNs work with their patients to gather insights to help provide them with individual support tailored to their needs.

The role of a GPN is often misunderstood by individuals and even downplayed by GPNs themselves. Despite the variety of tasks completed by GPNs, the role of the GPN is often unclear, and its scope and depth are not understood by the wider public (Launder, 2022). For many people, their perception of primary care is based on their own views or opinions from friends and family. For most people, contact with nurses at the GP surgery is limited, especially if they are fit and well. Likewise, for colleagues in other parts of the NHS, they rarely experience the reality of working daily in primary care as a GPN, which does not lead to a collective understanding of the role throughout the NHS, leading to myths.