GP Nurses play an integral role in the delivery of GP services. At South East London Workforce Development Hub our aim is to support nurses develop careers in primary care. From student nurses, newly qualified nurses to experienced nurses wishing to become advanced practitioners, we can provide guidance and funded access to further education and training. We want to support the nursing workforce through recruitment of new nurses as well as retaining existing nurses.
Nurse Students
A core part of the GP team
Student Nurses
We are focused on increasing GP placement capacity for student nurses. We hope this will introduce more nurses into general practice nursing.
We are working closely with local Universities to provide supervision for student nurses on placement by ensuring registered nurses meet the new SSSA standards.
Standards for student supervision and assessment – The Nursing and Midwifery Council
We are aware of the constraints facing primary care, and we work with practices across South East London to make placements as accessible and efficient as possible. We support all the nurses who are hosting students with induction packs, timetables, placement workbooks, weekly teaching sessions for students, drop-in sessions for the hosting nurses – to ensure that the placement is a positive experience for all involved.
The GP Route Student Nursing Pathway
In 2021, South East London Workforce Development Hub (SELWDH) started collaborating with the University of Greenwich (UoG) to increase the number of student nurses that have the opportunity to experience general practice during their undergraduate programmes. We found that many student nurses completed their studies without ever having any placement experience in general practice.
As well as increasing placement opportunities for student nurses, SELWDH and UoG also devised the “GP Route Nursing Pathway” where student nurses who wish to work in general practice may choose to undertake this new pathway, which is focused on developing the skills and knowledge required to work in general practice. They will spend their three years of training in general practice with short placements in acute trusts and other community providers.
Expectation
- Students will be expected to work 37.5 hours per week
- Practices will provide adequate supervision for students in order to meet needs of learning outcomes.
- Practice assessor will have blocked time to complete students e-pads, interviews and teaching. Financial reimbursement for the reduced appointments will be received on completion of placement.
Reimbursement to practices
Practices will receive the National Placement Tariff, £149.28 per week, for both student nurses and GP route student nurses.