The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) has announced that it will be the home of a new Faculty of General Practice Nursing.
The new Faculty will bring together the QICN’s existing work to support General Practice Nurses (GPNs), including the national standards of education and practice for General Practice Nursing, and the General Practice Nurse Network.
Faculty resources will be hosted on the QICN website, and a programme of webinars and other events for GPNs will also be organised through the new Faculty.
Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, QICN Chief Executive commented:
“I’m delighted that we are able to launch the national Faculty of General Practice Nursing. The QICN has a great track record of innovative solutions to support nurses in key fields of practice in the community, primary care and social care. The creation of this new Faculty will help consolidate our work supporting General Practice Nurses and their key role in primary care.
“It is recognised that GPNs are often placed at a disadvantage compared to colleagues working for the NHS and other services, for example in access to funded professional development opportunities. The QICN aims to build meaningful recognition for the outstanding work of GPNs among employers, media and policymakers. We are at a crossroads in terms of how much we value and invest in our GPNs to support the strategic plans of the NHS. The Faculty of General Practice Nursing will be a key reference point for resources, information and intelligence for GPNs and policy makers.”
Angie Hack QN, Assistant Director of Nursing Programmes (Primary Care) commented:
"It is our great pleasure to announce the QICN Primary Care Faculty as a ‘professional home’ for all nurses working in General Practice, providing a network for all GPNs both in education and practice.
“General Practice Nursing and primary care are at the forefront of the NHS Long Term Plan 10 year strategy for the NHS in England.”
“The QICN have strived to promote the role of the GPN, outlining the unique role, relying on autonomous accountable nurses, meeting the demands of primary care.”
"We have done this through developing GPN standards of education and practice in partnership with our colleagues, the GPN Network (funded by the National Garden Scheme) and the Association of Academic General Practice Nurse Educators."
The Faculty is the first of nine that are planned, in line with the nine specialist and advanced community fields of practice for which the QICN has developed Standards of education and practice.
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