NMC Announces New Director Of Corporate Governance & Organisational Development, UK

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 07 Apr 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the regulatory body for UK nurses and midwives, has appointed Sarah Bedwell as its new Director of Corporate Governance and Organisational Development.

Sarah will lead on organisational development and driving internal management reform. She will take up her new position on 2 June 2008.

Sarah, who previously worked as Head of Governance at the General Medical Council (GMC), said she was delighted by her new appointment: "I am really looking forward to taking up my post and overseeing some very important changes within the NMC.

"The NMC does an extremely important job in protecting the public and I hope my skills and experience will help make the organisation more effective and dynamic."

Sarah's key responsibilities will include the administration of elections and liaising with the Appointments Commission on the appointment of members to the new NMC governing board.

Sarah is an experienced senior manager with a strong track record in regulation. Before becoming Head of Governance at the GMC, she was the GMC's Head of Screening and Conduct.

Sarah has also worked at the Charity Commission as Head of Legal & Fiscal Framework. Sarah added: "I am very keen to start in my new role and use my skills and experience in spearheading the changes needed for organisational development."

NMC Chief Executive and Registrar, Sarah Thewlis, said: "Sarah brings a lot of skills and experience to the job and I am sure she will be a great leader in delivering on organisational development.

"We welcome Sarah to the NMC and wish her the best in her new role."

1. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions, nursing and midwifery. The primary purpose of the NMC is protection of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses eligible to practise within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct. Currently the number of registrants exceeds 674,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC's role and responsibilities.

2. The governing body for the NMC is the Council which is responsible for setting the NMC's overall strategic direction. The Council currently has 35 members: 11 lay members and 24 elected nurses and midwives elected as follows: 6 members from each of the four countries of the UK and within each of these countries 2 members each from the three parts of the register (ie; nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses). Of the 24 elected members of the Council, 12 are alternate members who attend and vote in the place of the elected Council member should that member be unable to attend a meeting.

The 11 lay members are appointed by the Appointments Commission acting on behalf of the Privy Council. They are selected for their expertise in a range of consumer, patient and public involvement issues. Lay members of the public were appointed or re-appointed in July 2006 by the Appointments Commission acting on behalf of the Privy Council. Following publication of the Government's White Paper, 'Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century", each of the governing Councils of the 9 healthcare regulators is required to move towards smaller, more strategic board-like structures. The Council agreed at the meeting of 6th March 2008 that the structure of the new appointed Council would comprise a Board of 14 (including a Chair) with a nurse/ midwife from each of the four countries of the UK; a lay member from each of the four countries; a nurse/midwife from each of the three parts of the register (3) and; an additional three lay members.

The Committee structure which underpins the new Council will be decided once the new Council is in place by April 2009. Consultation will be held with wider stakeholders around how a smaller board will ensure that it involves stakeholders in the decision making process. It was also agreed that the term of office for members of the new board would be for a period of three years and members could serve a maximum of two terms.

Nursing and Midwifery Council