The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched a public consultation on draft new education standards for specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN) and specialist practice qualifications (SPQs).
The move is the latest element of the NMC’s ongoing review into pre-registration and post-registration nursing education and standards that has been running since 2016, and which could substantially reshape occupational health nursing training and registration.
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The standards, said the NMC, “set out the knowledge and skills needed to gain post-registration qualifications. They also cover what we expect from education institutions and practice learning partners delivering the education and training.”
The consultation will run for 16 weeks rather than the NMC’s usual 12-week process, meaning it will close in early August, so as to allow more time for responses because of the challenges around Covid-19.
During this period the council will also host a series of virtual drop-in sessions to facilitate conversations, alongside webinars and virtual panel events. More information on these can be found here.
Professor Geraldine Walters, executive director of professional practice for the NMC, said: “Community and public health nursing has never been more important. We want these new standards to reflect the realities of modern community and public health nursing and equip professionals with the right skills for the future.
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“Due to the challenges and pressures of the pandemic over the past 12 months, we’re extending the consultation period to four months and are ensuring there are a range of accessible opportunities so that as many people as possible can con-tribute in a variety of ways,” she added.
The consultation can be found at https://www.nmc.org.uk/about-us/consultations/current-consultations/future-community-nurse/
