Jean White appointed to lead education programme standards steering group

Professor Jean White CBE, former Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for Wales, has been appointed as Chair of the expert steering group for our work to develop our education programme standards.

Our programme standards set out how nursing and midwifery courses should be delivered. They include requirements from EU law but as the UK has now left the EU, we are able to review these parts of our standards. This will allow us to modernise our standards to allow more flexibility and innovation.

Jean will lead the Future Programme Standards Steering Group in reviewing and discussing all draft proposals around this work, to advise our Executive Board and Council. The group consists of key partners representing all four UK countries, including representatives from the four CNO offices, health education bodies, representative bodies and unions.

Jean’s nursing career spans more than 40 years. As well as her tenure as a CNO, Jean brings a wealth of experience from her previous and current roles with Higher Education Institutions in Wales, as a mentor in the Ethnic Minority Women in Healthcare Wales programme, and as expert nurse advisor to the World Health Organisation European Regional Office.

Professor Geraldine Walters CBE, Executive Director of Professional Practice at the NMC, said:

“Jean is absolutely the right person to lead this expert steering group in advising the NMC on the improvement and innovation of our education programme standards. The NMC, education institutions and ultimately our professions, will benefit from her exceptional experience of national level leadership in practice and education.

“We’ve already heard many of our stakeholders’ views on this important work. Under Jean’s leadership the steering group will ensure we continue to hear a wide range of perspectives, seeking consensus around the right approach for everyone.”

Professor Jean White CBE said:

“I’m delighted to be appointed as Chair of the Future Programme Standards Steering Group. The group will support the NMC to make the right decisions around the development of its education programme standards.

“We will help to make sure that any proposed deviation from EU directives supports the future needs of nursing and midwifery education in the UK. I look forward to collaborating with partners to achieve the best outcome.”

Notes

You can read more background on this work here.

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