The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched a recruitment campaign for a senior nursing or midwifery leader to chair a steering group which will oversee its reviews of the code and revalidation.
The reviews are being undertaken to ensure both reflect the modern health and social care landscape – encompassing equality, diversity and inclusion, artificial intelligence and learnings from high profile inquiries.
“These reviews will help ensure our standards keep pace with modern practice and public expectations”
Donna O’Boyle
The revised code and revalidation will also aim to reflect the evolving roles of nurses, midwives and nursing associates and ensure they meet the expectations of the public and employers.
The code sets out the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must follow.
Meanwhile, revalidation, which must be completed every three years, enables professionals to demonstrate continual learning and reflection about their practice.
The independent chair will lead a stakeholder steering group made up of professionals, employers and public representatives from across the UK.
The group will guide the NMC’s research and engagement and review any proposals before they are submitted to the regulator’s governing council for consideration.
The NMC said the role is open to senior nurses or midwives with current registration, or who have retired from the register in the past two years. The closing date for applications for the role is 22 July 2025.
Donna O’Boyle, NMC acting executive director of professional practice, said: “The code and revalidation support every professional on our register to deliver high-quality care and meet the evolving needs of the people they care for.
“That’s why it’s vital we work closely with our partners, professionals and the public across the UK before making any changes.
“These reviews will help ensure our standards keep pace with modern practice and public expectations,” she said.
“The independent chair will bring a broad range of stakeholders together from all four countries of the UK, build consensus on the evidence, and shape recommendations that will define nursing and midwifery for years to come.”
The regulator announced the reviews in February, as part of a body of work to modernise future practice, as set out in its corporate plan for 2025-26.
Other elements of the work include the ongoing review of practice learning and the move to regulate advanced practice across the UK.
More on the NMC’s reforms