NMC launches campaign to promote good nurse leadership
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched a new campaign to support nurse leaders, and their teams, to deliver care in line with the regulator’s professional standards.
The NMC campaign, titled ‘Good leadership means better care’, features shared stories and resources that promote best practice for nurses, midwives and nursing associates in leadership positions.
The aim, said the regulator, is to highlight the importance of good leadership in helping nurses and midwives to provide care that is in line with the NMC’s code of practice.
“We aim to positively influence the role of nursing and midwifery leaders”
Sam Foster
The campaign resources are centred around seven key areas, including supporting teams when they are working under pressure, advocating for people using services, creating inclusive working environments and speaking up when there is a concern.
Being accountable as a leader, delegating tasks safely and providing quality preceptorship are also areas that feature in the new campaign.
In addition, the NMC has spotlighted nursing and midwifery leaders working across specialties that have spoken about what makes a good leader.
For example, it quoted Lincoln Gombedza, a learning disability nurse, who said: “Demonstrating leadership means engaging with colleagues in a positive and constructive way, so we can build relationships regardless of who they are or if they have a different background.”
It also cited Shona Hamilton, a consultant midwife in Northern Ireland, who said: “It’s important to pause, and give positive feedback, saying ‘that woman really appreciated what you did for her’.
“We can’t expect midwives to provide high quality, safe care unless they feel psychologically safe themselves.”
Executive director of professional practice at the NMC, Sam Foster, said that compassionate leadership was “critical to create practice environments that enable the delivery of safe, high-quality care for people”.
She added: “The impact of compassionate nursing and midwifery leadership ensures that leaders, acting as behavioural role models, create psychological safety, a learning culture and the ability for individuals to raise concerns ensuring that person-centred care is always the priority.
“Through a series of engaging resources and case studies, we aim to positively influence the role of nursing and midwifery leaders as they support their teams to practise in line with our Code and professional standards.
“Achieving this will be for the benefit of everyone’s health and wellbeing,” said Ms Foster.
