The chief nursing officer for the NHS Commissioning board, Jane Cummings, has finally said she is “now content for revalidation to proceed in England” but expects the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to introduce “robust and thorough monitoring” of the new process.
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This is necessary in order to show that it “does not have a negative impact on frontline care” she said.
Taking effect from April 2016, revalidation replaces the current Prep requirements and nurses and midwives will have to revalidate every three years when they renew their place on the register, showing they are ‘living’ the standards of the NMC Code.
In a letter to Jackie Smith, chief executive and registrar of the NMC, Cummings said: “We would expect the NMC to introduce robust and thorough monitoring from the point of introduction, to evaluate the revised guidance, the impact of revalidation and to ensure that it delivers the intended benefits and does not have a negative impact on front-line care…
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“We would like to work with you to undertake evaluation across the whole system to ensure revalidation does not introduce unexpected cost pressures with any subsequent impact on frontline care, particularly in the NHS. We are keen to work closely with you on the details of the approach.”
She also asked that NHS Improvement (Monitor/Trust Development Agency) and others in the England Revalidation Programme Board work closely with the NMC during 2016/17 to monitor the on-going financial impact of revalidation.
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“The England Board (Board of Revalidation) stands ready to work closely with the NMC, and with the other UK countries, to increase awareness of and readiness for revalidation across all sectors and reduce any remaining risks,” the letter concluded.
