Sunlight exposure is the primary source of vitamin D in humans (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition [SACN], 2016), but vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide (Bouillon et al, 2019; Mendes et al, 2020). Measures to contain the recent spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to help prevent the Covid-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus may increase rates of vitamin D deficiency, as selfisolation is likely to prevent people from gaining adequate exposure to sunlight to meet their vitamin D requirement if they do not have a garden or balcony.
General practice’s unique position at the heart of the NHS is why it is so important that general practice nurses (GPNs) have the Freedom to Speak Up.
The current Covid-19 pandemic has raised the population’s reliance on the NHS, and on key roles such as general practice nurses (GPNs). The untapped potential of GPNs to lead and drive innovation has long been recognised, if not always by the nurses themselves (Hughes, 2006). NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I) through the ten point action plan for general practice nursing (NHS England, 2017) and the CARE (connected, authentic, resilient, empowered) programme have recently played a key role in providing leadership development for GPNs. Indeed, new lead roles have emerged such as clinical directors of primary care networks (PCNs), primary care lead nurses, nurses who are partners in practice, and others leading on clinical specialities and workforce development within their PCNs. Now more than ever, it is important that GPNs are supported on their leadership journey, with a digital leadership support package.
The Covid-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges, particularly for the health service which has faced pressures like never before.
This, coupled with the breaking news that prostate cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK (Prostate Cancer UK, 2020), means that it is now more crucial than ever that Prostate Cancer UK continues to support healthcare professionals managing prostate care.
General practice nurses (GPNs) play an important role in prevention and must make every contact count to educate patients and help them be healthier. Based on calculations by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK, when it comes to weight, people who are obese now outnumber people who smoke two to one in the UK.
Chronic oedema is a perennial challenge for nurses in primary care, consuming a large proportion of time, energy and resources. Ironically, chronic oedema is both a contributory factor and a consequence of impaired mobility, infection, or wounds and delayed healing. With growing numbers of older people with multiple and complex conditions that limit their mobility, and obesity on the increase, the prevalence of chronic oedema is predicted to rise. With reports of a current prevalence of 6:1000 (National Lymphoedema Partnership [NLP], 2019), this is a depressing prediction.
People with common health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, can keep their health condition invisible to the outside world. Unless they want to share their medical history, nobody else need know there is anything different about them. The same cannot be said for skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema, which, while not lifethreatening, can exact a serious toll on the self-esteem and confidence of people who experience them. While these skin conditions also involve significant discomfort, it is the psychological implications that can stay with people throughout their lives.
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