The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has expressed strong support for the upcoming Ten Minute Rule Bill to be introduced by Dawn Butler MP on Tuesday, 11 February.
This significant legislative proposal aims to legally protect the title "nurse," ensuring that only individuals registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) can use the title when working in health and social care settings.
The proposed bill is a crucial step towards aligning the UK with international best practices in nursing regulation. By restricting the use of the title "nurse" to those who are professionally registered, the bill seeks to enhance patient safety and public trust in healthcare providers. Currently, while the title "registered nurse" is protected by law, the more commonly used "nurse" is not, allowing unqualified individuals to potentially mislead patients.
The RCN is urging the government and all political parties to support this campaign, emphasising the importance of respecting the nursing profession. The protection of the title "nurse" was a key resolution passed at the RCN Congress in 2022 and featured prominently in the RCN's General Election 2024 manifesto priorities.
Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, said:
"Nursing is a safety-critical profession, and the title ‘nurse’ needs to be protected. Patients deserve to know that when they are being treated by a registered nurse, that they can trust the knowledge, professionalism, and clinical expertise that brings.
"The changes in this bill will provide better legal protections for nursing. This includes preventing those who have lost the right to be called nurses from legally continuing to do so.
"We will continue to urge government and parties across the political spectrum to get behind this campaign, ensuring our highly skilled profession gets the respect it deserves."
If successful, this bill would bring the UK in line with international standards, providing patients with the assurance that their care is being delivered by qualified professionals who meet rigorous professional standards. The initiative is backed by the #ProtectNurse campaign, led by Professor Alison Leary MBE, which highlights the risks posed by unqualified individuals using nursing titles.
The introduction of this bill marks a pivotal moment for the nursing profession in the UK. By legally protecting the title "nurse," the bill aims to uphold the integrity of the profession, ensure patient safety, and foster public confidence in healthcare services. The RCN's endorsement of this initiative underscores the critical need for legislative action to safeguard the nursing title and, by extension, the quality of care provided to patients across the UK.
Image credit: iStock
