About Our Fellow
With 26 years of nursing experience, including nearly 10 years as a Practice Nurse and a career background in acute medicine, Anna Davis has always embraced roles that bring variety and open doors to wider system working. She is passionate about using her expertise to improve patient experience and outcomes, particularly in primary care settings where nurses play a vital role in population health.
Why She Applied for the Fellowship
When priorities and targets surrounding population health are discussed, the areas of focus, such as long-term condition management, prevention, and health promotion, are often those where practice nurses hold specialist expertise. Yet, practice nurses are not always included in these conversations.
The General Practice Nurse (GPN) Mid-Career Fellowship provided an opportunity to change that, creating space for practice nurses to shape interventions and champion the role of general practice nursing in tackling population health challenges.
The Problem: Barriers to Vaccination for People with Learning Disabilities
Feedback from families at the Learning Disability (LD) Primary Care Network (PCN) Roadshow revealed that traditional vaccination clinics often felt “rushed and stressful.”
This was particularly concerning for people with learning disabilities, a group more vulnerable to respiratory complications yet with historically lower vaccination uptake.
The challenge was clear: vaccination clinics needed to be more accessible, inclusive, and tailored to the needs of this population.
The Intervention: Piloting Relaxed, Sensory Clinics
As part of the fellowship, Anna worked with colleagues across the PCN to pilot relaxed, sensory vaccination clinics for the 2024/25 Autumn/Winter season.
Key features of the intervention included:
Personalised booking: Care co-ordinators contacted individuals directly and booked them into their preferred clinic.
Family and carer inclusion: Carers were also offered vaccinations, reducing barriers to access.
Welcoming environments: Clinics were held in community venues with sensory areas, creating calm, unhurried spaces.
Reasonable adjustments: Nasal flu vaccines were made available for those unable to tolerate injections.
Additional health checks: Blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) monitoring offered by LD nurses.
Joined-up care: LD annual reviews offered on-site, or people supported to book one.
The Results: Measurable Impact on Uptake and Experience
The pilot demonstrated encouraging results:
10 out of 12 practices in the PCN participated.
4 clinics were held in community venues.
70 people were booked in, with 41 attending (59% uptake).
Of the 41 attendees, 29 had a learning disability (70%).
Breakdown of vaccines administered:
7 received nasal flu
15 received intramuscular flu
11 received COVID vaccinations
1 initially observed but later returned for nasal flu at their practice
Further impact included:
4 LD annual reviews completed (including one patient who had not engaged in 9 years).
Feedback from attendees showed overwhelmingly positive experiences: only one person said they preferred having the vaccination in their surgery; the rest either preferred the relaxed clinic or did not mind.
A Personal Highlight
For Anna, one standout moment was supporting a young man, who had always refused intramuscular injections, to receive the nasal flu vaccine for the first time. This breakthrough highlighted the power of creating an environment that is both supportive and flexible.
What Anna Took Away from the Fellowship
The project offered a new appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work needed to make inclusive clinics a reality, from planning logistics to engaging the right staff and venues. More importantly, it reinforced the message that general practice nurses are central to population health interventions, bringing both clinical expertise and patient-centred insight.
Would She Recommend the Fellowship?
“Yes, definitely. I now have a much better appreciation of how the system works together outside of the surgery for the good of the population. This experience has broadened my understanding, strengthened my confidence, and highlighted the importance of practice nurses having a voice in population health.”
Anna Davis
This case study is just one example of the innovative work being led by General Practice Nurses across our region. If you’re looking to strengthen your skills, connect with peers, or explore new opportunities, we’ve developed a range of resources designed to support you.
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