NMC chair to address European Parliament on nursing and midwifery training
Date:26/10/2010
NMC Chair to speak about training requirements
Nursing and Midwifery Council Chair Tony Hazell will today address the European Parliament on a number of important topics, including minimum training requirements and language competence for European nurses and midwives.
Professor Hazell will deliver feedback on an EU directive which relates to the recognition of professional qualifications. His presentation will include a number of recommendations designed to improve patient safety.
The feedback on the directive was collated following collaboration with members of an informal network of EU authorities for nursing and the EU network of midwifery regulators. National reports were collected from 26 nursing and midwifery regulators across Europe outlining their experience of directive 2005/36/EC.
The recommendations being outlined by Professor Hazell will be considered by European policy makers ahead of a review of directive 2005/36/EC next year. They include:
Updating of existing minimum training requirements set out in the directive to reflect evidence-based contemporary practice
Compulsory continuous professional development for nurses and midwives
A requirement that all professionals demonstrate adequate language skills to communicate with their patients, women and colleagues
NMC Chair Professor Tony Hazell said:
“The NMC processes the applications of approximately 7,000 EU nurses and midwives every year under the provisions of directive and we recognise the positive contribution they make to the provision of care in the UK.
The directive has been a determining factor in increasing freedom of movement in the EU, however, its revision offers an excellent opportunity to enhance patient safety while respecting the rights of migrating professionals. We urge European policy makers to take our recommendations into consideration during their debates.”