Revalidation for nurses and midwives
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is seeking your views on some of the key questions in their consultation on revalidation and the code.
Revalidation will require every nurse and midwife to confirm that they:
- Continue to remain fit to practise by meeting the principles of the revised Code.
- Have completed the required hours of practice and learning activity through continuing professional development (CPD).
- Have used feedback to review and improve the way they work.
- Have received confirmation from someone well placed to comment on their continuing fitness to practise.
The system of revalidation that the NMC adopt must contribute to their core regulatory purpose which is public protection. They aim to deliver a proportionate, risk-based and affordable system that will provide greater public confidence in the professionals regulated by the NMC. It is also important that revalidation raises standards of care and promotes a culture of continuous improvement amongst nurses and midwives.
Public consultation
To build on the NMC’s previous extensive engagement with stakeholders, they have now begun a public consultation on how revalidation can be applied in practice to ensure that it will work for all the people on the register.
This is part one of a two part, six month public consultation, which will run from January until July 2014.
The consultation as a whole will also address revising the NMC’s Code. The Code sets out the standards of good nursing and midwifery practice.
In part one, the NMC is focusing their consultation on how the proposed model of revalidation can be implemented in a variety of employment settings and scopes of practice. This will help ensure the system they launch in December 2015 is flexible and fit for purpose. The NMC will also use this part of the consultation to gather information to draft a revised Code and develop guidance for revalidation.
The NMC wants to hear from individuals and organisations across the four countries of the UK, such as:
- Nurses and midwives operating at any level, scope of practice and work setting
- The general public and users of nursing and midwifery services including patients
- Professional bodies and trade unions representing nurses, midwives and other healthcare staff
- Student nurses and midwives
- Employers and employer groups
- Other healthcare regulators
- Education institutions and providers
- Charities and patient groups
- Government and policy makers
When it takes place
This first part of the consultation starts on 6 January 2014 and closes on 31 March 2014.
See the NMC’s consultation page to take part.
For any further information about revalidation, please email revalidation@nmc-uk.org.