The Nursing and Midwifery Council has announced the launch of the consultation the proposed approach to the regulation of nursing associates.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have outlined an approach to education including ambitious standards of proficiency for the role that will enable nursing associates to deliver first-class care.
According to Health Education England (HEE), the Nursing Associate role is a new support role which will sit alongside existing healthcare support workers and fully-qualified registered nurses to deliver hands-on care for patients. The role is designed to bridge the gap between healthcare assistants (HCAs) and registered nurses.
2,000 trainee nursing associates are currently just over half-way through their two-year training programmes to become registered nursing associates and HEE has announced 45,000 extra places before 2027.
The NMC has set out how they expect the existing Code, with a new introduction, to apply to nursing associates as well as nurses and midwives, ensuring that the same high standards of professional behaviour and conduct will apply to everyone on the register.
Jackie Smith Chief Executive and Registrar of the NMC said: “This is a hugely exciting step on the road to regulation for this new profession and we want to hear the views of all those with an interest in the role.
“We think that our proposals will ensure that nursing associates are equipped with the skills they need to deliver excellent patient care and to support registered nurses and other health and care professionals throughout their careers.”
Under the plans nursing associates would also be subject to the same revalidation requirements as nurses and midwives when renewing their registration with the NMC as well as the same fitness to practise processes should something go wrong.
Over the coming weeks, the NMC will be holding workshops across the country for trainees, registered nurses, employers, patients and the public. There will also be regular twitter chats and webinars with lots of opportunities for people to learn more about what regulation means for the new role and share their views.
The Consultation on the regulation of a new profession will run until 2nd July 2018.