References
Implementing a hosting model in general practice for adult nursing
Abstract
The demand for nurses working in general practice settings is rapidly outstripping supply. This article outlines an initiative aimed at hosting students in general practice.
Workforce shortages in primary care are widely recognised and reported. Increasing student nurses in primary care is seen as a key strategy for encouraging nursing students to opt for a career in primary care. However the organisation of placements generally means that adult nursing students are hosted by secondary care in acute NHS Trusts. Consequently, the majority of placements occur within the acute Trust and while adult nursing students may undertake placements in primary care, these are usually one-off rotational, elective or spoke placements. As a consequence completing students are far more likely to take up a post in secondary care, usually within their host Trust. This paper reports on a project which aimed to introduce general practice as a host organisation and in so doing ‘flipping’ the placement pattern allowing students to spend the majority of their placement time in primary care placements.
Historically, nurses entering general practice have undertaken their formative careers as a registered nurse working in secondary care. Increasingly however demand for GPNs is outstripping this traditional route of supply, thus alternative options for attracting nurses to general practice have had to be considered. This paper describes one such initiative, the hosting of student nurses undertaking a pre-registration adult nursing programme within primary care, their placement pattern re-orientated to take account of the multiplicity of learning opportunities that primary care offers.
In 2014, the publication of the Five Year Forward View (NHSE 2014) presented a significant policy shift; the main point of delivery for patient’ care and services moved from secondary to community and primary care. While there was agreement on the principle of the policy, it was recognised then, that to meet this changing and future demand, additional resources would be needed (Lewis & Kelly 2017). However workforce shortages in primary care persist, with a best case scenario of a shortfall of around 8,800 FTE GPs in 2030/31 and 6,400 FTE nurses (Health Foundation 2022). Increasing both GP and primary care nursing roles has therefore been recognised as a priority within the NHS Long Term Workforce plan (NHSE 2023).
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