QNI welcomes NMC move to regulate Advanced Practice

The NMC’s Advanced Practice Steering Group is recommending to NMC Council that the NMC develop additional regulation of advanced nursing and midwifery practice. 

The Queen’s Nursing Institute welcomes the NMC decision to develop further regulation of advanced practice and we look forward to working with the NMC on the next steps should the recommendation be agreed by Council. The work will support existing registrants to be recognised as working at an advanced practice level. It will also require development of national standards for advanced practice for the future.  

The QNI has developed field-specific standards which reflect an advanced level of practice for Specialist Practitioner Qualification programmes in the UK. The QNI is also a member of the NMC Steering Group for advanced practice.  

The NMC’s Steering Group said:  

“We’ve heard clearly from both the public and professionals about the important role advanced nursing and midwifery practitioners play in delivering care for people. But they’ve also told us a lack of consistency in education and training, qualifications, responsibilities, and governance processes can create a risk to the public, and that additional regulation will help reduce the risk. Additionally, there is no single definition of advanced practice and it’s unclear whether the public understands the role and what it means for their care.” 

The NMC’s recommendations are to: 

• develop standards of proficiency for advanced level practice (and associated programme standards) 
• adopt a collaborative approach to develop a UK-wide advanced practice principles framework incorporating a shared position or definition of advanced level practice 
• ensure that advanced level practice requirements are included in the wider review of revalidation and the Code scheduled for 2025/26. 

If the NMC Council agrees to proceed with the recommendations, the Steering Group will also develop a proportionate approach to recognising existing advanced practice qualifications. There will be further engagement with professionals and the public before publicly consulting on any proposals. 

The NMC proposals have also been welcomed by Chief Nursing Officers and Chief Midwifery Officers in the UK.  

https://www.nmc.org.uk/news/news-and-updates/advanced-practice-our-recommendations-for-additional-regulation/