NMC getting it wrong on performance improvement

Nursing and Midwifery Council's get professional or be sacked strategy

Today we’ve seen that the Nursing and Midwifery Council now wants to see patients, colleagues and employers give feedback on  the performance of nurses and midwifes. Those deemed not up to scratch face being barred from working, under the plans drawn up by the NMC.

In my everyday work I often come into contact with nurses, midwifes and care workers. Most of the time they are caring overworked women, low paid and with minimum access to career progression and learning opportunities.

Given the backlog and the number of disciplinary cases over recent years, it is not surprising the NMC is pushing this agenda. However, for an organisation seeking to improve quality of patient care, why is the NMC focusing on punishment and not on improving quality of work for the nurses? A basic review into why quality is slipping will take us right back to the needs of nurses and midwifes that are not met in the first place – such as clear paths to career progression, learning opportunities, mentoring, and clear management processes.

If going ahead – the “get professional or be sacked” strategy cannot be successful. Such pressures will only demoralise workers, impact their mental health, and discourage initiative and creativity.

What the Nursing and Midwifery Council needs to understand that what they need is embedding a culture of compassion, care and support at strategic levels and across all staff, making caring for nurses and midwifes a top priority, so that they in turn can do their job well and care for the rest of us!