Each year General Practice is faced with achieving ever changing targets in the provision of health care in their local community.   Practice nurses rise to this challenge and somehow continue to achieve the high standards that are set.

 

To achieve these targets PN's need continuous access to education courses and conferences and also a good networking system between different health board areas.   More choice has become available in recent years for attending conferences and more practices are allowing nurses to attend during clinical time.   There are some good networking systems in place locally with regular protected time for learning, however, country wide networking, sharing ideas and interests are also important.   The SPNA have again organised what I believe to be a high calibre conference day in May this year and I hope that more nurses will consider attending.

 

This year the SPNA are facing a new challenge.   The current committee have made a major decision to discountinue membership fees.   We hope that this will encourage more members to join the organisation and provide a more complete view of Scottish PN's that can be taken to committees, conferences and many other organisations.

 

Practice nursing needs to keep a high profile both nationally and locally as we are, and will continue to be, a major part of the Primary Healthcare Team.   We wish all of you the best for 2009 and look forward to hearing from you.