Membership to the SPNA is now FREE OF CHARGE

 

 

Membership is free and all Practice Nurses working in Scotland are encouraged to join the Association.   It is still necessary to register to provide us with your contact details.

 

The last year has been very challenging and this situation seems likely to continue.   General Practice will be under pressure to continue to achieve the high standards of care while budgets are under pressure.   The National Primary Care Workforce Survey 2009 showed that practice nurse recruitment has not increased as fast as their workload, a fact that will not be a surprise to most of us.   While there are a lot of good GP employers who recognise and value the contribution made by practice nurses, there are nurses working in practices with less favourable terms and conditions than colleagues working in both primary and secondary care.   Excellent general practice brings significant health benefits and this can be particularly significant in areas of deprivation.

 

The SPNA provides a forum for the dissemination of information on developments in the area of practice nursing.   We hope to be a strong voice for nurses working in general practice in Scotland.   As a group we are all committed to the development of practice nursing and making sure that when it is needed we have a voice at all levels.   Membership has increased since the abolition of the membership fee but I hope this increase can continue.   It has been encouraging to get a good response from members when asked for representation for various groups.   The more members there are the wider the response we can provide.

 

The annual conference in May was very successful with numbers up again.   The conference not only provides an excellent educational day but also an opportunity to network and exchange ideas.

 

Practice Nurses need to be involved, leading and influencing the development of policy and practice.   With many practice nurses nearing retirement it is important that the advancement in practice nursing that has taken place is maintained by ensuring it is seen as a rewarding career choice that attracts high calibre nurses to ensure the provision of excellent services in the future.

 

Rhona Aikman, SPNA Chair