UK NURSING AND MIDWIFERY

That this House recognises the dedication and hard work of nurses and midwives across the UK; acknowledges the disparity that exists between the regulation of nurses and midwives and other regulated health professionals; believes that action is required to ensure that the regulation of nurses and midwives keeps pace with the constantly evolving health and social care environment; notes that the Government previously pledged to implement comprehensive legislative reform for health professional regulation; further notes that the current outdated legislative environment leads the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to spend around 80 per cent of its budget on fitness to practise; and calls on the Government to publish its timetable for implementing comprehensive legislative reform to enable the NMC better to allocate its resources, better regulate nurses and midwives, and better protect the public