New measures announced by the Government will protect the title of 'nurse' in law.
The new legislation will ensure that only those individuals registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council can legally use the title. Anyone violating this will be committing a criminal offence and could face a fine up to thousands of pounds.
The Department of Health and Social Care will also establish the exemptions where ‘nurse’ can still be used as part of a professional title, as it is used across multiple professions (e.g. registered nurses, dental nurses, nursery nurses and veterinary nurses).
The Nurse (Use of Title) Bill was introduced to Parliament by Dawn Butler, MP for Brent East, back in February. This was part of an ongoing fight Butler had for the cause, previously attempting to amend the Health and Care Bill to prevent the use of the title “nurse” without NMC registration.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said, "Nurses carry out lifesaving work every day, and I am determined we do everything we can to support them and safeguard trust in the profession."
"I’ve been appalled to read reports of so-called nurses spreading dangerous misinformation and harming the public.
"This new legislation will help crack down on bogus beauticians and conspiracy theorists masquerading as nurses, and those attempting to mislead patients.
"The British people hold nurses in the highest regard, and we trust them in our most vulnerable moments, so patients need to know they are genuinely being seen by a nurse. Now they will.
"This is part of our Plan for Change to fix the NHS and gets the right staff working in the right place at the right time."
The announcement has been celebrated by healthcare organisations including the NMC and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
RCN general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said, “This is an important moment for our safety-critical profession, after years of campaigning.
“A change in the law will recognise the knowledge, professionalism and clinical expertise that comes with being a registered nurse.
“It will provide better legal protections for nursing professionals and reassurance to patients.
“Crucially, this is an opportunity to begin the journey to properly valuing nursing as a profession, where respect, reward and investment match the crucial nature of our work.”
