Paul Rees appointed as permanent NMC chief executive and registrar

Paul Rees has been appointed as the new permanent chief executive and registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the regulator has announced.

Mr Rees has been chosen following an open external recruitment process for the role.

He first joined the NMC on 20 January 2025 in an interim capacity to improve the NMC’s culture and regulatory reviews following a damning report in the regulator, published by Nazir Afzal and Rise Associates last year.

The NMC has introduced a series of changes under Mr Rees’ leadership, including by signing the Unison Anti-Racism Charter and introducing new equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) targets to confront bias in the regulatory process and ensure fairness amongst staff.

Mr Rees said he was ‘incredibly proud’ to be asked to continue at the NMC and described the regulator as ‘fostering a culture of inclusion and improved regulatory performance’.

‘I am committed to seeing through the process of building a better NMC, driven by a stronger, more connected culture,’ he added.

‘I look forward to continuing to work with the NMC’s people, partners, professionals and the public to deliver on this promise.’

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) General Secretary and chief executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said Mr Rees has ‘started to grasp the nettle’ in his first six months in post.

‘My profession deserves nothing less and the revelations in recent months have been shameful for all registrants. I will work tirelessly with him to restore the confidence of the nursing profession in its regulator and, in turn, public confidence too.

‘Paul attended our RCN Council meeting just yesterday to update us on his work and we will continue that constructive dialogue as the NMC’s closest and most critical friend,’ she added.