England’s CNO to launch nursing strategy ‘later this year’

A ‘professional strategy’ for nursing and midwifery will be published by England’s chief nursing officer (CNO) later this year, it has been announced.

Duncan Burton, who has been in post since July 2024, is currently working on the strategy which is set to focus on supporting nurse progression, student attrition rates and clinical placement opportunities.

The news was confirmed today in the government’s long-awaited 10-year plan for the health service.

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The government said the ‘Professional Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery’ is ‘being developed by the CNO, to be published later this year’.

Reducing attrition rates among nursing students has been described as a ‘key objective’ of which the strategy will tackle.

In addition, there will be a focus on ensuring ‘every nursing student spends sufficient time across a range of clinical settings’.

This will include a requirement for all students to have ‘a high-quality experience in neighbourhood and community settings and social care’, according to the plan.

‘We will work with NHS organisations and education providers to increase capacity in neighbourhood teams commencing with the 2027 to 2028 intakes.’

Plans for a Neighbourhood Health Service are central to the government’s reforms to the NHS and include new neighbourhood health centres to be staffed by nurses alongside other professionals.

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The government has also suggested that nurses will be given ‘a range of opportunities to lead’ under its plans for a Neighbourhood Health Service.

According to the plan, the CNO’s strategy will also focus on nurse career progression, including into advanced practice and nurse consultant roles.

‘It will also set out how nurses and midwives in the NHS will be supported in their individual career journey through regular, structured professional career conversations that reflect continuing professional development and education opportunities, aligned to their annual appraisal process,’ the 10-year plan said.

An exclusive Nursing in Practice survey revealed earlier this year that almost 60% of practice nursing staff are not given any time for professional development or training on a weekly basis.

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In a video shared by NHS England (NHSE), CNO Mr Burton, said the 10-year plan was an opportunity to improve health services for both staff and patients.

‘It’s an opportunity to improve the experience of people using our services and also the experiences of our staff working in our services who want to come to work, and come to work every day, to do the best that they can, and this is about actually making it better so they can do the things that they do best,’ he said.