Health Minister has announced the development
of a new career framework for nursing and midwifery to support
workforce retention and personal development.
The ambition of the Framework is to support practitioners,
managers, educators, and policy leaders in adopting a regionally
agreed approach that enables nurses and midwives to have a
positive career experience.
It seeks to empower staff to maximise their professional growth,
promote a well-resourced and skilled workforce, and provide
structured routes for recruitment, retention, and career
progression. It will also offer encouragement and guidance to
help individuals confidently shape their career journey and
pursue professional growth with confidence.
The NI Career and Development Model for Nursing & Midwifery,
which is due to be formally launched later this year, will
support nurses, midwives, and support staff and will be informed
by three core career pathways - clinical, operational and
management, and education and research.
The Health Minister said: “Latest available figures show
a 3% rise in the numbers of nurses and midwives on the Nursing
& Midwifery Council (NMC) register in Northern
Ireland.
“This is encouraging data, but we know that there are
still a significant number of nursing and midwifery posts vacant
across our system. That's why we are focused on ensuring that
recruitment, retention, and career progression are at the core of
our agenda.
“We are therefore taking practical steps to build a
system in which staff feel supported and empowered to deliver the
care for which they have been trained.”
The Minister was speaking at this year's Chief Nursing Officer
conference, where he also announced the commencement of a new
regional Masters in Advanced Practice programme.
Delivered by both Queen's University, Belfast, and Ulster
University, it will enable the growth of the Advanced Practice
workforce to meet strategic workforce and policy priorities,
while increasing the opportunity for interprofessional learning.
Work is also underway to establish a NI Advanced Practice Academy
to support the education, training, and ongoing professional
development of the Advanced Practice workforce.
The conference was attended by approximately 240 people,
primarily nurses and midwives from across Northern Ireland's
Health and Social Care sector. This year's theme was
Empowering Nurses and Midwives to provide Kind and Inclusive
Care.
Professor Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer, said: “A
key aim of my vision for Nursing & Midwifery, Shaping the
Future, is to maximise the potential of the nursing and
midwifery workforce, including our healthcare support
workers.
“That includes effective workforce and workload planning,
investment in education and training and the expansion of career
pathways. The Framework announced today is aimed at encouraging
our nursing and midwifery colleagues to embrace professional
growth opportunities and to know they are supported and
encouraged to do so.
“And central to that is a workplace and system in which
staff know that their voice matters, that feedback is welcomed,
and they feel supported and nurtured. Prioritising staff
wellbeing is essential for our staff to deliver the sustainable,
high-quality care we expect.”
The conference keynote speaker was Dr Chris Turner, a consultant
in emergency medicine at University Hospitals of Coventry and
Warwickshire, who delivered an address on the theme of Why
Civility Matters in our Complex World.
Notes to editors:
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Advanced Practitioners work across a range of settings,
alongside medical colleagues and other health professionals,
managing complete episodes of clinical care of patients. The
role is characterised by a high level of autonomy, complex
decision making and differential diagnosis, underpinned by
Masters level education (or equivalent), that encompasses four
pillars of advanced clinical practice: Clinical Practice,
Leadership, Education and Learning, Research and Evidence-Based
Practice.
