Temporary nursing register set up during COVID pandemic closes

Temporary register encouraged thousands to return to nursing during pandemic, but many have now moved to permanent register says Nursing and Midwifery Council

The temporary register set up for nurses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is now closed.

Set up by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in March 2020 as part of the emergency response to COVID-19, the temporary register finally closed on Sunday 31 March.

Since its launch four years ago, it had seen 2,500 returns to permanent registration, the NMC confirmed.

• RELATED: Nurse staffing: temporary register extended for two more years

As it prepared to close for good, the NMC said that as of 12 March there were 1,045 professionals remaining on the temporary register. As of the same date, 2,501 professionals had moved across to the permanent register – not including international nurses.

The NMC said it has now written to all those still on the temporary register to invite them to apply to the permanent register so they can continue to practise.

More than 19,000 nurses and midwives joined the temporary register by March 2022

Speaking at an NMC meeting on 27 March, deputy director of communications and engagement Miles Wallace said: ‘We’ve been communicating with both registrants and employers to be clear about how they can move across to the permanent register, and we will continue to do that after the register closes.’

The regulator set up the temporary register to allow those who previously left the profession to rejoin the workforce to help boost staffing during the pandemic.

• RELATED: Hundreds of nurses who joined emergency register never contacted

More than 19,000 nurses and midwives joined the temporary register between March 2020 and March 2022, when applications to join it were closed.

Those invited to join included people who had left the permanent register within the past three years, along with internationally trained professionals who were in the process of applying to the permanent register.

Selfless efforts of those on temporary register made a huge difference to people’s lives, says NMC

NMC chief executive Andrea Sutcliffe said: ‘We’re incredibly grateful to every nurse and midwife who joined the COVID-19 temporary register. In the face of fear and uncertainty for all of us, thousands joined the national effort to provide vital support for health and care services.

‘It’s important we recognise all those professionals who lent their skills and compassion to protecting people in the most vulnerable circumstances during the peak of the crisis. Their selfless efforts will have made a huge difference to people’s lives, especially through their contributions to the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.’

• RELATED: NMC to change temporary register as COVID measures come to an end

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