Framework for Nursing in General Practice

Framework for Nursing in General Practice

Ministerial Foreword

In Partnership for Care I set out my vision for the future of health services in Scotland. A vision of a culture of care, developed and fostered by a new partnership between patients, staff and Government.

The implementation of the new General Medical Services contract is a vital component in delivering this vision, supporting the development of effective accessible, high quality primary care services. Its renewed emphasis on the effective management of chronic diseases will do much to improve the quality of life for many Scots. It also opens up new opportunities to deliver services in different ways. Practice nurses will be central to this.

This framework acknowledges the contribution that practice nurses make to the delivery of high quality primary care services and provides a structure for practices to use to support and promote their development. At its heart are a set of standards which practices can aspire to. They are based on the NHS Scotland Staff Governance Standard which entitles NHS Scotland staff to be well informed, appropriately trained, involved in decisions that affect them, treated fairly and consistently and provided with a safe and improved working environment. In the NHS Reform (Scotland) Act I placed a duty on NHS employers in relation to the governance of staff. The duty ensures corporate accountability for the fair and effective management of staff.

My vision has always been that this is how all staff who work as part of the NHS family should be treated. I am therefore delighted that the principles, values and employment law requirements within the Staff Governance standard have been used to inform the development of the Framework for Nursing in General Practice. I am particularly pleased to note the extent to which this work has been developed in partnership, engaging nurses, doctors and managers and their professional organisations in developing a resource which I'm sure will be a valuable asset to both practices and practice nurses and which ultimately will support the delivery of better patient care.

Malcolm Chisholm, MSP
Minister for Health and Community Care