Anna Davis achieves the Queen's Nurse title

On Monday I travelled down to London to receive the Queens Nurse Award for nurses that work within the wider community. 

 

I have been very lucky to have two roles that I love, they complement each other beautifully. A general practice nurse (GPN) and lead practice nurse across the system. I took this role on as 'I'm not ambitious for me but I am ambitious for my profession to have a voice and to be included and seen as key players in primary care and the wider system'. 

 

Within my role as practice nurse lead, I am fortunate to be able to shape what I do. I am passionate about the role of General practice nursing the importance to the public, how much it has to offer the wider system. There are diverse career paths within general practice and so many, often untapped opportunities that I have been able to support. From projects such as student insight visits in general practice, advocating for the nursing associate role, starting a mid-career nursing fellowship scheme for PCNs, and gaining feedback from 175 members of the general practice nursing workforce on their needs around retention. One of my highlights has been chairing a community of practice leg ulcer group across the system to improve patient pathways and advocate for beneficial changes of practice. This has been recognised nationally and seen as an example of great partnership working across a system to improve patient outcomes. 

 

During my two years I commenced on the independent prescribing qualification, this was important to me to be able to give my patients a holistic package of care especially around supporting with their long-term conditions I have decided to move on and further my clinical skills. It’s been a privilege to represent voices of the workforce during this time and I will keep advocated for this unique workforce.