Why it’s so important to take part in NMC education consultation

The regulator’s proposals for nurse education will divide opinion – which is why yours counts

Would you say that nursing is in control of its own destiny?

Recent evidence would suggest otherwise, with politicians, policy wonks and general managers having a greater say than nurses themselves about the profession’s future.

Next generation

The next couple of months offer an opportunity to determine the future of nursing for the next generation, and possibly two. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is holding a national consultation on the way nurses should be educated, and the ramifications are significant to say the least.

Opinion is likely to be divided on various issues, such as the extent to which nursing students should specialise pre-registration. So now is the time to have those debates and reach a consensus on the best way forward.

Prepared to listen

The NMC has demonstrated in the past that is its prepared to change its stance on major policy proposals in light of comments and feedback. For example, the final version of revalidation looked radically different to the original, even though the fundamental tenets remained in place.

So this is one consultation where it is worth the effort of reading the documents, discussing with colleagues and having your say. You can read Nursing Standard’s feature setting out the background, and then submit your comments to the NMC directly via its website.

Go to the NMC's consultation document for more.