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Once for Wales 2020

Collage of nurses
Future standards for nursing and midwifery education

Registered nurses make an important contribution to the promotion of health, health protection and the prevention of ill health with future registrants leading care and driving initiatives to improve patient care outcomes.

Future Nurse Standards of proficiency for registered nurses were published by the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council in 2018, and came into effect in Wales in September 2020. The Standards specify the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and behaviours registered nurses must demonstrate in order to deliver safe, compassionate and effective person-centred care now and in the future.

In addition, Standards for student supervision and assessment set out expectations for the learning, support and supervision of students in the practice environment. It is vital that students have opportunities to learn from a range of people including service users and carers, registered and non-registered health and social care professionals, and student peers.

The All Wales Pre-Registration Nursing and Midwifery Group assisted by HEIW Programme Manager Education Wales, led on a ‘Once for Wales 2020 ’ national approach to implementation of the  NMC Standards. The Group included representation from service users and carers, Approved Education Institutions, Health Boards/Trusts, Chief Nursing Office, RCN Wales and other key stakeholders.

The first cohort of students to embark on the NMC pre-registration nursing proficiencies and post-registration prescribing programmes in Wales commenced September 2020. All Welsh university nursing programmes are approved following NMC approval events held during 2019/20. Midwifery proficiencies were published in October 2019 and programme approvals took place across Wales in 2021. 


Implementing the new NMC Standards for Midwifery Education - Stakeholder events


HEIW Programme Manager Education Wales talks about the NMC Standards for education:

Take a look here for discussion on student supervision and assessment arrangements and a walk through of the future nurse All Wales Practice Assessment document:

Access All Wales Documentation here: (*the following documents have been co-produced by a range of key stakeholders and will be utilised in Wales subject to NMC approval of programmes)

Useful links
Further information please contact: