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A study commissioned by the NHS Information Centre found that the proportion of consultations carried out by nurses rose from 21 per cent in 1995 to 35 per cent in 2007.

The study shows how workload has increased over the past 12 years - with practices in England conducting 60 per cent more consultations in 2007 than in 1995, and nurses handling more of them.

The average practice conducted 33,900 consultations in 2007 compared to just 21,100 in 1995 and the average patient visited their GP 5.4 times a year compared with 3.9 in 1995.

The location and nature of consultations has also changed since 1995. By 2007 the proportion of consultations conducted by telephone had trebled to 11 per cent from 3 per cent in 1995. Just 4 per cent of consultations were home visits in 2007, compared with 9 per cent in 1995.

The study was based on the QRESEARCH database of general practice information from 102 surgeries surveyed in 1995 and 465 in 2007.

Margaret Briggs, former chair of the Scottish Practice Nurse Association, said the work expected of nurses is expanding, but the number of nurses has also risen rapidly to meet demand. 'In 1986 I was one of nine practice nurses in the Forth Valley. Now there are well over a hundred of us.'

Demand for nurses has 'shot up' said Ms Briggs, because they are trained to reduce pressure on GPs.

'It's because nurses in general practice are some of the best trained nurses in the NHS - prescribing has changed things especially.'

Ms Briggs said there was a limit to how many consultations could be nurse-led, but said nurses can strive to achieve more. 

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