NMC welcomes Government consultation on regulatory reform

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has today welcomed the Government’s consultation on proposals to reform health professional regulation.

NMC Chief Executive and Registrar, Jackie Smith said:

“I’ve made no secret of the urgent need for regulatory reform. Our current legislation is woefully outdated; it is a barrier to us becoming the modern and dynamic regulator we want to be.

“At the moment we are entirely reliant on the Government for adapting our legislation in response to changing external circumstances – a process that can often take years to achieve.  

“We need a much more flexible approach to regulation, enabling us to meet the demands and expectations of a rapidly changing health and care landscape while continuing to ensure openness and transparency.

“This consultation is a welcome step in the right direction but Government must ensure that they press ahead with the changes that are so desperately needed to ensure that we have legislation which will enable us to properly protect the public in the years to come.”

The Consultation can be found here.

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Notes for editors

1. For media enquiries, please contact Media Team on 020 7681 5649 or email media@nmc-uk.org. 
2. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent professional regulator for nurses and midwives in the UK. We exist to protect the public. We do this by maintaining the register of qualified nurses and midwives and setting standards of education, training, conduct and performance. We make sure that nurses and midwives keep their skills and knowledge up to date through a regular revalidation process. If concerns are raised about the standards of a registered nurse or midwife, we have a duty to investigate and, where necessary, take action to protect the public.