NMC endorses framework to address concerns more quickly
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is among seven health and social care regulators in Northern Ireland to jointly launch a new intelligence sharing framework, to ensure that concerns about professionals are addressed at the earliest opportunity.
The aim of the new framework is to provide a structured way for the health and social care regulators to share information and to identify and address concerns as they emerge.
“This framework will enable us to better collaborate with our partners to identify, review and address emerging concerns at the earliest opportunity”
Sam Foster
It represents a collective commitment for regulators in Northern Ireland to work more collaboratively, so they can improve the way that they respond to concerns and reduce duplication.
The launch this week brings Northern Ireland into alignment with the rest of the UK, where similar arrangements are in place.
Progress is set to be reviewed in 12 months, to identify impact and areas for improvement.
The framework is not legally binding, meaning it does not change the regulatory scope and powers of each individual regulator.
NMC executive nurse director of professional practice, Sam Foster, said the NMC was pleased to be a part of the framework.
She said: “Together we are part of a safety system, and this framework will enable us to better collaborate with our partners to identify, review and address emerging concerns at the earliest opportunity.
“We are confident that this joined up approach will ensure that with our partners, we can share and respond to information in a more timely and effective way, to protect people who use services and maintain trust and transparency in regulation.”
The framework has been developed by Northern Ireland’s Joint Regulators Forum, which comprises six professional regulators responsible for the oversight of individual health and social care professionals, and system regulator the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), which is equivalent to the Care Quality Commission in England.
RQIA chief executive, Briege Donaghy, said: “This is an important step for all the organisations involved, demonstrating our shared commitment to improving patient safety.
“It puts into action learning from public inquiries which have demonstrated the need for sharing of information earlier, which has the potential to identify and address risks to patient safety.
“We are committed to supporting the implementation of the framework and working in partnership to help keep people safe.”
The full list of organisations that are involved:
- The Health & Care Professions Council
- The General Dental Council
- The General Medical Council
- The Northern Ireland Pharmaceutical Society
- The Northern Ireland Social Care Council
- The Nursing and Midwifery Council
- The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
