Celebrating excellence across GP nursing placements in Wales

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) proudly supports high‑quality practice‑based learning across Wales, helping students gain practical experience, grow their skills and develop professionally.

General Practice Nurse placements play a vital role in building the future primary care workforce. Since October 2023, more than 250 student nurses in Wales have completed a General Practice Nurse placement, gaining first-hand experience of Primary Care Nursing. Interest in the field is strong, with 70% of participating students reporting that they would consider a career in practice nursing after qualification and a number of practices going on to recruit their former students.

Practice assessors play a big part in a student’s learning experience. Recently, Naomi Baker, Lead General Practice Nurse at St John’s Medical Practice, Aberdare was named runner-up for Practice Assessor of the Year in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. We would like to congratulate Naomi on this fantastic achievement. 

Kira Williams, a student nurse at the University of South Wales, nominated Naomi and has shared just how much of an impact Naomi had during her placement:

"Naomi has an incredible amount of knowledge, which she has used to teach me. She has been super supportive during my placement and always has time to explain which has helped me develop my confidence and my knowledge. I can’t thank Naomi enough for her time, support and encouragement she has given me!"

We’re also delighted that Kira has returned to St John’s Medical Practice for her management placement and is hoping to secure a General Practice Nurse role in South Wales once she qualifies. This is a real testament to the power of positive placement experiences and how they can influence career choices.

Debbie Roberts, Primary Care Practice Education Facilitator commented: “Innovative, flexible placements shared between General Practice Nurses and teams such as the Place Based Care Team in Newport give student nurses an unparalleled experience of collaborative, multi-agency working, with the service user and their community at the centre.”

Visit the HEIW website to learn more about nursing placements in GP practices.