Understanding career flexibility and role opportunities for the nursing profession within primary care

If you are a nurse or an advanced nurse practitioner currently working or have aspirations for developing a career in primary care we want to hear from you.

In November 2024 Primary Care Careers, in conjunction with NHS SCW launched a survey for primary care nurses and advanced nurse practitioners. The survey aimed to understand the current opportunities for maximising career development opportunities for the primary care nursing workforce and explore the appetite for flexible, short-term role opportunities for nurses to apply skills flexibly beyond traditional definitions of flexible working (e.g. bank or agency). For further detail see the information archived from January 2025 and the one-page insights overview.

Following on from the insights gain through this work, we are running a series of co-design sessions. Each session will have a different focus, these include:

  • Role Clarity and Flexi-skills Development
  • Leadership and Strategy
  • Skill Perception
  • Investment in the Profession.

The sessions will also cover how worth and value are defined as part of primary care nursing. If you are a nurse or advanced nurse practitioner who is currently working in or has aspirations for developing a career in primary care, we encourage you to sign up to sessions. Your feedback will help to determine whether PCC could explore further opportunities for supporting the development of a flexi-skilled nursing workforce solutions or resources to support nurses craft their careers beyond the traditional 9-5 as well as developing a framework around worth and value.


Have your say! Sign up to co-design sessions

Each session will explore a different theme, they will not be consequential therefore it is not necessary to attend all four you can attend sessions that you have interest in

Sign up here


Archived from January 2025

If you are a nurse or an advanced nurse practitioner currently working or have aspirations for developing a career in primary care we want to hear from you.

Primary Care Careers has commissioned NHS SCW to explore the current opportunities for maximising career development opportunities for the primary care nursing workforce. The research aims to explore the appetite for flexible, short-term role opportunities for nurses to apply skills flexibly beyond traditional definitions of flexible working (e.g. bank or agency). We recognise the breadth of skills nurses can offer, including strategic and operational activities as well as clinical expertise and want to explore ways in which nurses can potentially apply their skills in different ways or contexts.

The term ‘flexi-skilled workforce’ has been created to differentiate from traditional ‘flexible workforce’ which is often seen as synonymous with agency, locum and bank workforce solutions. A flexi-skilled workforce is a range of individuals from diverse professional backgrounds who want to work agilely and can adapt their skills to proactively plan and deliver short-term projects or roles. Matching is not based on profession but on the skills required for the project or role. Flexi-skilled individuals can benefit from developing their skills and applying them in different contexts. The research aims to understand how more opportunities could be opened up for nurses following the introduction of the ARRS roles and how the skills of the nursing profession could improve the productivity, efficiency and quality of general practice patient care.

The aim of collecting this data, through the survey and focus groups, is to determine whether Primary Care Careers could explore opportunities for supporting the development of flexi-skilled nursing workforce solutions or resources to support nurses craft their careers beyond the traditional 9-5.


Have your say! Complete our insights survey

The 'career flexibility and role opportunities for the nursing profession in primary care’ survey includes questions that explore your current and future career intentions, the breadth and depth of skills the nursing workforce skills and attitudes and perceptions of flexible working. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

Complete the survey (CLOSED)

Have more to say? Join our insights focus group

Following the survey, there will also be the opportunity to participate in a focus group session to explore this area further. This will include exploring the practicalities of flexible roles, understanding the types of skills and activities nurses can offer in addition to traditional definitions of the role and how skill-based role design could support PCNs and practices with strategic and operational priorities. Places to attend the workshop will be limited and we may not be able to accommodate all those who would like to attend.

If you have not already registered your interest in attending a workshop via the survey, you can register now. (CLOSED)



If you are a nurse or an advanced nurse practitioner currently working or have aspirations for developing a career in primary care we want to hear from you.

In November 2024 Primary Care Careers, in conjunction with NHS SCW launched a survey for primary care nurses and advanced nurse practitioners. The survey aimed to understand the current opportunities for maximising career development opportunities for the primary care nursing workforce and explore the appetite for flexible, short-term role opportunities for nurses to apply skills flexibly beyond traditional definitions of flexible working (e.g. bank or agency). For further detail see the information archived from January 2025 and the one-page insights overview.

Following on from the insights gain through this work, we are running a series of co-design sessions. Each session will have a different focus, these include:

  • Role Clarity and Flexi-skills Development
  • Leadership and Strategy
  • Skill Perception
  • Investment in the Profession.

The sessions will also cover how worth and value are defined as part of primary care nursing. If you are a nurse or advanced nurse practitioner who is currently working in or has aspirations for developing a career in primary care, we encourage you to sign up to sessions. Your feedback will help to determine whether PCC could explore further opportunities for supporting the development of a flexi-skilled nursing workforce solutions or resources to support nurses craft their careers beyond the traditional 9-5 as well as developing a framework around worth and value.


Have your say! Sign up to co-design sessions

Each session will explore a different theme, they will not be consequential therefore it is not necessary to attend all four you can attend sessions that you have interest in

Sign up here


Archived from January 2025

If you are a nurse or an advanced nurse practitioner currently working or have aspirations for developing a career in primary care we want to hear from you.

Primary Care Careers has commissioned NHS SCW to explore the current opportunities for maximising career development opportunities for the primary care nursing workforce. The research aims to explore the appetite for flexible, short-term role opportunities for nurses to apply skills flexibly beyond traditional definitions of flexible working (e.g. bank or agency). We recognise the breadth of skills nurses can offer, including strategic and operational activities as well as clinical expertise and want to explore ways in which nurses can potentially apply their skills in different ways or contexts.

The term ‘flexi-skilled workforce’ has been created to differentiate from traditional ‘flexible workforce’ which is often seen as synonymous with agency, locum and bank workforce solutions. A flexi-skilled workforce is a range of individuals from diverse professional backgrounds who want to work agilely and can adapt their skills to proactively plan and deliver short-term projects or roles. Matching is not based on profession but on the skills required for the project or role. Flexi-skilled individuals can benefit from developing their skills and applying them in different contexts. The research aims to understand how more opportunities could be opened up for nurses following the introduction of the ARRS roles and how the skills of the nursing profession could improve the productivity, efficiency and quality of general practice patient care.

The aim of collecting this data, through the survey and focus groups, is to determine whether Primary Care Careers could explore opportunities for supporting the development of flexi-skilled nursing workforce solutions or resources to support nurses craft their careers beyond the traditional 9-5.


Have your say! Complete our insights survey

The 'career flexibility and role opportunities for the nursing profession in primary care’ survey includes questions that explore your current and future career intentions, the breadth and depth of skills the nursing workforce skills and attitudes and perceptions of flexible working. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

Complete the survey (CLOSED)

Have more to say? Join our insights focus group

Following the survey, there will also be the opportunity to participate in a focus group session to explore this area further. This will include exploring the practicalities of flexible roles, understanding the types of skills and activities nurses can offer in addition to traditional definitions of the role and how skill-based role design could support PCNs and practices with strategic and operational priorities. Places to attend the workshop will be limited and we may not be able to accommodate all those who would like to attend.

If you have not already registered your interest in attending a workshop via the survey, you can register now. (CLOSED)



Page last updated: 24 Jan 2025, 11:13 AM