More than a quarter of general practice nursing staff across the UK are considering leaving their role within the next 12 months, a survey has revealed.
Concerns over pay and feeling ‘undervalued’ were to blame for general practice nurses (GPNs) and other nursing staff wanting to walk away from the sector.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warned that the risk of nurses leaving practices would ‘hinder patient care’ and worsen pressures on the NHS.
The survey of more than 550 nursing staff working in GP practices – GPNs, advanced nurse practitioners, nursing associates and others – was carried out by our sister title Nursing in Practice.
It revealed that a significant 28% of respondents say they are thinking about leaving general practice within the next year.
Of those wanting to quit the sector, the most commonly cited reason was because they felt ‘undervalued’ in their job (68%), followed by concerns that pay is not keeping in line with the cost of living (67%) or reflecting their responsibilities and workload (60%).
Almost half of those wanting to leave blamed high workloads (48%) and job-related stress (45%).
Other concerns included a lack of career progression opportunities (29%), feeling isolated in the role (26%) and the impact of the additional roles reimbursement scheme (15%).
Just under a quarter (24%) of those thinking about leaving said they planned to retire.
One respondent to our survey said: ‘I’m not thinking, I am definitely leaving. Burn out, fatigue and no pay rise and lack of employer appreciation has made this decision.’
Another added: ‘I’d love to stay where I am, but I just don’t feel my role is appreciated or understood and the pay is dreadful compared to the stress and levels of responsibility.’
Further still, only one third (35%) of GP nursing respondents said they saw themselves working in general practice in five years’ time.
Meanwhile, more than a quarter (26%) said they would be retired in five years’ time and a further 7% said they planned to be working in a role outside of nursing in that period.
RCN national officer Jeni Watts said: ‘These findings are incredibly worrying and a consequence of the repeated failure to value general practice nursing staff.
‘They face significant disparities in pay, terms and conditions and access to professional development compared with their NHS counterparts.’
Ms Watts added: ‘Many also haven’t received a pay rise for this year or last year, despite practices receiving targeted funding for pay via the global sum uplift.
‘Under these circumstances it shouldn’t be surprising that many could choose to walk away.’
Earlier findings from the survey found that half of general practice nursing staff across the UK have not yet received a pay rise for 2024/25.
Ms Watts warned that general practice nursing staff ‘leaving in these numbers would hinder patient care’.
‘It would reduce capacity in a vital service in the community, worsening pressures on the NHS,’ she added.
And it would fundamentally undermine the Government’s ambitions to move care away from hospitals and closer to people’s homes.
She said a move towards prevention to improve health outcomes must be backed by proper investment in the nursing workforce who deliver this care.
‘Valuing nurses in general practice starts with improving pay, terms and conditions so that they are at least in line with those in the health service,’ said Ms Watts.
GP nursing staff were asked what the main reasons were for wanting to leave their role in general practice
Respondents said:
| Feel undervalued in my job | 68% |
| GPN pay in general is not keeping in line with cost of living/inflation | 67% |
| Pay at my practice doesn’t reflect my responsibilities and workload | 60% |
| Workload is too high | 48% |
| Job is too stressful | 45% |
| No opportunities to progress career | 29% |
| Feel isolated in my role | 26% |
| Retiring | 24% |
| Impact of the additional roles reimbursement scheme | 15% |
| Level of patient abuse | 14% |
| Other (please specify) | 6% |
| Career change | 6% |
Source: Nursing in Practice
These are interim findings with more detailed data to be published in a full report produced jointly Management in Practice in early 2025.
A version of this article was first published by Nursing in Practice
