Practice Nurse Conference Members of the Patient Reference Group were delighted to share their experience of their care with practice nurses at the practice nurse conference on the 10 th September 2014

Statement from patient ‘Nurses in primary healthcare practices are the friendly face of healthcare in the community. Patients generally go to see a doctor when they are unwell and under stress. However visits to see practice nurses are a much more relaxed and pleasant affair as they not only include the many testing procedures that are often required but also routine health maintenance and checkups. Most people it seems can more easily relate to a nurse than to a doctor and they relax more and feel happier with a friendly smiling nurse. My only experience is with one particular practice where I have been a patient for 26 years and as general practices consist of many different businesses run by different doctors in a wide range of areas there must be very considerable variations in nursing skills and approach about which I have no experience. For the first ten or so years in our practice there was a practice nurse who was, it appeared, a jack of all trades who carried out minor procedures and was very well respected and acted rather like a school nurse and kept everyone in line! In those days I didn’t use her services often as I was in my early fifties and working and I was only conscious of two types of nurse SRN (State Registered) and SEN (State Enrolled) and I had no idea of the details of their qualifications. She was not afraid to tell patients how to behave and look after themselves and I believe she was very successful in this role and well liked even when she chided patients. Things have changed over the last few years and we now have a large range of specialist nurses and various grades of skills and division of labour without which practices would be unable to operate with the increases in patients and tasks. My practice, with two locations, has a Clinical Services Manager, Nurse Practitioner, Senior Practice Nurse, 2 Practice Nurses and 5 Healthcare Assistants. And they perform 22 different functions from COPD Reviews to Urine Testing. These nurses have up to six separate qualifications. I don’t think most patients are aware of most of these changes when they need a nurse and they are probably just grateful for the friendly care they receive’ Bill Mecrate-Butcher (August 2014)

Statement from patients ‘I just wanted to pass on how fantastic Practice Nurse Kate Moore was today. She was really friendly, understanding and looked after me and went the extra mile when I felt unwell in the room, and was really patient and caring. She is a credit to the NHS and made what is not a pleasant experience bearable. I hope that Kate will get some recognition as it is very well deserved’ Eryn Reynolds Colton Mill MC Patient (2014)

Consent Consent has been given from all patients and staff for their photo and comments to be used for this presentation.