Resolution: Protecting the title ‘Nurse’

This resolution passed. 

Members can view a recording of the debate here.

The term ‘nurse’ can be used by anyone in the UK even if they have no nursing qualifications or experience. It can be used by those who have been removed from the NMC register or who have serious convictions. 

It is becoming increasingly clear that the term ‘nurse’ is being misused, including by employers, leading to the public believing they are being cared for or are taking advice from a qualified nurse when they are not. This misuse now extends to those using the title to lend credibility to spreading misinformation about the vaccine programme or evidence-based clinical treatment. 
Protection of the term ‘nurse’ is primarily a patient and public safety issue. The public should have the right to know that the treatment and advice they are receiving is from a registered health care professional with appropriate qualifications and regulation. Many other countries around the world protect the title in law to stop the term being misused. 

Protecting the title ‘nurse’ will also make clearer the contribution of the nursing support workforce, which is largely hidden and paves the way for recognition or regulation of their work. 
Our reputation as the most trusted profession rests on our behaviours being aligned with our code of practice, placing patient safety as our key priority, and being held to account for our actions. Those who use the title ‘nurse’ without following the same behaviours as registered nurses, place the safety of the public in jeopardy and risk undermining the reputation of the profession. These risks are recognised by many leading to the protection of the title ‘nurse’ being supported by over 70 organisations, such as The Queen’s Nursing Institute, the Institute for Health Visiting, charities, and those representing the public using health and social care. 

Unison Health and Unite support the change, as does the RCN’s Professional Nursing Committee, the Trade Union Committee, and the Forum Chairs Committee. We believe the time has now come to take further action to protect patients and the public. 

In 2021, a UK Government petition entitled: ‘Protect the title Nurse in UK law’ attracted over 33,000 signatures (UK Government and Parliament, 2021). In response to the petition, the UK Government said: “The Department of Health and Social Care is reviewing the protection of titles as part of the ongoing government review of the regulation of health care professionals… [and is] bringing forward reform of the NMC’s legal framework.”

Following this, Dawn Butler MP tried to amend the Health and Care Bill 2021 to protect the title of ‘nurse’. The amendment was rejected by the government because it did not address “fundamental challenges” around how this change would impact other professional groups, such as dental nurses and veterinary nurses (UK Government, 2021). The protection of ‘nurse’ in law should not affect others who use the term, such as veterinary nurse, dental nurse or nursery nurse, but this can be resolved through effective stakeholder engagement and collaboration during the lobbying process.

We invite Congress to discuss the risks and impact of not securing public protection through the protection of the title ‘nurse’ in UK law.

Reading lists for each agenda item can be found here.

References

UK Government (2021) Health and Care Bill: Hansard: debated on Tuesday 23^rd November 2021. Available at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-11-23/debates/60861C31-8919-4EF6-8A40-36F8FCABC4C7/HealthAndCareBill (Accessed 20 April 2022)

UK Government and Parliament (2021) Protect the title nurse in UK law: petition. Available at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/587939  (Accessed 20 April 2022)