Advanced Practice: Preparing for Regulation
Advanced practice is one of the fastest growing areas in healthcare, with nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals stepping into roles that require advanced knowledge, skills, and clinical judgment to deliver safe, effective, and patient-centred care.
To support this evolving workforce, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is developing new standards to regulate advanced practice. This marks a landmark moment, not only for practitioners but also for patients and employers, by ensuring that all advanced practitioners meet a nationally recognised framework of competence and professionalism.
Why Regulation Matters
The regulation of advanced practice will:
✅ Provide reassurance to patients and the public about the care they receive
✅ Strengthen professional identity and career pathways for advanced practitioners
✅ Support employers in developing robust governance structures
✅ Improve consistency and safety across the system
As highlighted in the NHS 10-Year Health Plan for England, regulating advanced practice will also help ensure that clinicians working at this level can practice with greater autonomy, while remaining accountable to high professional standards.
NMC Principles for Advanced Practice (2025)
The NMC is set to publish its Principles for Advanced Practice in 2025. These principles will consist of two sets of guidance:
One for employers, focusing on governance, supervision, and workplace support
One for practitioners, covering professional conduct, accountability, and clinical standards
Together, these principles lay the foundation for full NMC regulation, which is expected to be implemented in 2029.
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire: Early Adopters
We are proud that Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will be acting as Early Adopters of the NMC Principles for Advanced Practice. This means our region will be among the first to test, implement, and shape these principles in real-world settings.
By doing so, we can:
Influence the national conversation on advanced practice regulation
Ensure our advanced practitioners are well supported and “regulation ready”
Lead the way in embedding safe, effective, and innovative care models across primary and secondary care
What This Means for Employers and Practitioners
In preparation for regulation, we encourage:
Employers of advanced practitioners to begin aligning their governance arrangements with the forthcoming NMC Principles.
Practitioners working at advanced practice level to familiarise themselves with the standards and reflect on how they can prepare for accreditation.
This proactive approach will ensure a smooth transition to full regulation in 2029 and reinforce our commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-focused care.
Share this post: