Initial feedback on the Code calls for greater focus on AI, challenging discrimination and staff wellbeing
Digital technologies, anti-racism and staff wellbeing are among the areas professionals want the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to strengthen in the Code – as the regulator invests in an ongoing review.
These are some of the early findings from the NMC’s initial survey as part of its Code and revalidation reviews. The survey, which remains open until the end of 2025, has had over 12,500 responses so far.
With digital technology continuing to evolve, respondents to date are keen to see clearer standards on the safe and appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in nursing and midwifery.
People would also like to see a strengthening of professional boundaries when using social media and other digital tools.
Another key theme in the initial findings is that professionals would value a greater focus on challenging racism and other forms of discrimination – whether from colleagues or patients and people who use services.
Survey respondents stressed the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) – especially in tackling persistent health inequalities by accounting for the specific needs of patients or colleagues.
Recognising the urgency of progress on anti-racism, the NMC is already taking other regulatory steps, including:
- Signing the Unison Anti-Racism Charter
- Pledging to de-bias its regulatory processes – and to eliminate disproportionate Fitness to Practice referrals received from employers in relation to ethnicity – by 2030
- Increasing ethnic diversity among panel members, who decide on Fitness to Practise hearings involving nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
Many survey respondents also focused on the importance of nursing and midwifery professionals looking after their own wellbeing, while others called for a Code that better guides their decisions when services are short staffed.
On revalidation, respondents so far are positive about the role it plays in providing an opportunity for reflection – and supporting a culture of lifelong learning.
They want the NMC to support professionals with more revalidation guidance around areas such as CPD (continuing professional development) and confirmation – which is when another person, such as a line manager, looks at a professional’s revalidation evidence and ‘confirms’ that they have met the requirements.
Professionals want to see flexibility within the revalidation process, enabling the process to be tailored to individual circumstances.
The NMC will consider the survey findings as part of its wider research and engagement with professionals, the public and other partners on the reviews, before consulting in September 2026.
Professor Donna O’Boyle, Acting Executive Director of Professional Practice at the NMC, said: “It’s clear from the initial findings of our survey that nurses, midwives and nursing associates want us to invest in a modernised Code and revalidation guidance to account for the rapidly-evolving world of digital technology, including artificial intelligence.
“People also want to see our standards play a greater role in helping them to challenge discrimination.
“The NMC stands firmly against racism and other forms of discrimination, so it’s vital that our new Code supports nurses, midwives and nursing associates to challenge these behaviours.
“On revalidation, I’m encouraged to see ongoing support for its role in supporting reflective practice.
“It’s important that any changes to our model ensure that revalidation is fair, robust, and accounts for people’s needs according to who they are or how they practise.”
Modernising the Code, revalidation and professional standards is a significant investment. The NMC recently (3 November) launched a consultation on raising the registration fee for the first time in 10 years, to enable this and other crucial progress to be made, including:
- Making Fitness to Practise faster and fairer
- Assuring the quality and safety of education for nursing and midwifery students
- Building a positive and anti-racist culture for the benefit of the professions
- Improving technology and data to modernise the way the regulator works.
The survey is open until the end of 2025.
As well as responding to the Code and revalidation survey, people with an interest in the Code and revalidation review can also join the NMC’s Code and revalidation community of interest to keep up to date with other opportunities to get involved.
More information about the Code and revalidation reviews is available on the NMC website.