NMC Responds To EU Workforce Consultation

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 20 Feb 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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The NMC welcomed the publication of an EU Commission Green Paper on the European workforce for health. [PDF]

The Green Paper, which acts as an official consultation, deals with the question of how EU Member States can ensure their health workforces remain sustainable and effective in the face of challenges such as an ageing population and rapid medical advancements.

The NMC made several recommendations for ensuring the nursing and midwifery professions remain fit for purpose over coming decades. The response stressed the need for health professionals across the European Union to understand the specific needs of older people. The NMC is soon to issue guidance on the care of older people and would welcome the development of relevant EU-wide principles. These should include respect for older peoples' dignity, the right to effective communication and quality of care provided by highly trained and skilled nurses and midwives.

The NMC also emphasised the growing importance of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for nurses and midwives, especially in the context of greater mobility within the European Union. The NMC believes CPD should be a requirement for all health professionals in the EU, and that competent authorities such as regulators should set CPD standards at the European level.

The European Commission is seeking responses from across the Member States until March of this year. These responses will inform the Commission's consideration of whether there is a role for EU-level action to help support Member States in addressing workforce challenges.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulator for two professions: nursing and midwifery. To be eligible to work as a nurse or midwife in the UK, they must be registered with the NMC. There are currently more than 674,000 nurses and midwives on the register.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

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