New NMC strategy puts safety, equity and anti-racism centre of midwifery regulation

The Midwifery Regulation Strategy for 2026–2030 sets out the NMC's vision for how everyone can have confidence that midwifery regulation is helping to support safe, inclusive, equitable, anti-racist and high-quality care for women, babies and families.

In a mission statement, the regulator says it will protect the public through strong standards, evidence-led regulation and transparent learning that supports accountability, improvement and a rights-based approach to maternity care.

The strategy is underpinned by five strategic priorities that will guide the NMC’s work over the next four years:

• Learn from national reviews and strengthen standards, education and practice
• Ensure fair, informed and effective midwifery regulation
• Listen, learn and advance equity and anti-racism
• Strengthen UK-wide midwifery regulatory leadership and accountability
• Use intelligence to identify risks and drive regulatory action.

National maternity and neonatal reviews have informed the development of the strategy. Across the four countries of the UK, inquiries, investigations and reviews have highlighted the importance of clear standards, effective escalation, strong leadership, listening and learning, equitable care, good education and earlier recognition of risk.

Within the next six months, the NMC will publish its response to relevant national maternity and neonatal reviews, setting out the action it will take within its regulatory remit.

This will include evaluating how its current standards of proficiency for midwives and education requirements for students are being implemented, including practice learning, preceptorship and the transition into registration. As part of this, the NMC will consider whether formal changes to its standards are needed only where evidence demonstrates a regulatory gap, and following the appropriate consultation and approval process.

The strategy also sets out how the NMC plans to get better at recognising risks earlier. The regulator will bring together insight from across its work – including Fitness to Practise and education – alongside intelligence from across the four countries of the UK.

This will help it build a clearer picture of emerging risks to women and babies and where regulatory action may be needed.

Another key commitment is fair, equitable, consistent, timely and informed regulation, with relevant midwifery expertise supporting regulatory decision-making. This includes strengthening how midwifery expertise informs Fitness to Practise policy, decision-making and learning.

Meanwhile, the NMC has reaffirmed that it will continue to play its part in tackling the Black maternal health crisis – promoting its Principles to Support Anti-Racism for Midwifery and Nursing Education and Practice, alongside future standards that seek to embed anti-racism, bias awareness, cultural curiosity, safety and respect.

Importantly, the strategy puts the experiences of women and families at the heart of this work. The regulator will establish meaningful and accessible ways for women, families, midwives, students and other professionals to help shape its regulatory priorities and decisions.

The strategy recognises that regulation alone cannot control wider maternity outcomes. It focuses on what the NMC owns, shares with partners and can credibly influence.

By 2030, the NMC’s intended contribution is safer, more equitable, anti-racist and trusted midwifery regulation, with demonstrable learning, accountability and improvement.

Paul Rees MBE, Chief Executive and Registrar at the NMC, said:

“Everyone has the right to expect safe, equitable and compassionate maternity care. The vast majority of midwives are dedicated to providing excellent care, but too many families have experienced devastating harm and trauma when care has fallen below the standards they should receive. 

“National maternity reviews have shone a light on recurring failures in care, and we have a responsibility to listen to what families are telling us and make sure that learning leads to meaningful action.

“Our new strategy sets out how we will strengthen midwifery regulation – learning from national reviews, recognising risks to people’s safety earlier, and ensuring women’s and families’ experiences inform our work. We also remain committed to tackling the Black maternal health crisis by advancing anti-racism in midwifery education and practice, challenging bias and racism, and embedding equity and human rights in our regulatory work.

“We know regulation is only one part of the wider maternity system, but we have an important role in protecting the public and building back lost trust. We are listening, learning and changing, and we have to get this right for mothers, babies and families.”

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