Advanced practice review delays due to ‘busy summer period’ at NMC

The NMC said it would now aim to launch a consultation on draft standards of proficiency for advanced practice, and associated education programme standards, by April or May 2025.

“It is essential that we collaborate with the public, professionals, and stakeholders about the regulation of advanced practice”

NMC spokesperson

It had previously said it would launch the consultation by January 2025.

Earlier this year, the NMC’s governing council gave the green light to plans to regulate advanced practice.

It comes as part of an ongoing review into advanced practice by the NMC that also included a report being published and a steering group being set up.

In May, the NMC approved the plan for phase two of the review, which has developed workstreams and milestones for the regulation of advanced practice.

This plan included developing standards of proficiency for advanced level practice and associated programme standards, and developing a unified UK-wide advanced practice framework.

Recognition of existing advanced practice professionals and those currently undertaking training, and ensuring that advanced practice was included in an upcoming review of revalidation and the NMC Code in 2025-26 were also two further priorities.

In the NMC’s latest council papers, the regulator confirmed that it had revised the timeline for the second phase of its advanced practice review.

It said: “It is essential that we collaborate with the public, professionals, and stakeholders about the regulation of advanced practice so that any proposed changes we make are in the best interests of people receiving care.

“Due to a busy summer period at the NMC, and to ensure we can give sufficient opportunity to input into the next phase of work, we have revised the timeline for this work since the May council meeting.”

The NMC confirmed to Nursing Times that the summer would see a focus on three areas of its corporate plan, which was revised earlier this year to address the most significant risks to its regulatory work.

The three areas of focus are progressing fitness to practise referrals in a safe and timely way, building an inclusive, high performance learning culture, and strengthening the integrity of its register.

It comes as the regulator awaits the findings of a review into its internal culture, which is due to be published next week.

Over the coming months, the NMC said its advanced practice team would focus on the development of the UK-wide advanced practice framework.

It said it was currently aiming to present this framework to council at the end of November 2024.

Once this framework has been produced, the regulator will then start engagement on its standards of proficiency and associated education programme standards.

The council papers said the NMC would aim to bring draft standards to council in March 2025, in preparation for a public consultation in April or May 2025.