NMC emergency register to end

The Government has confirmed that the emergency registration of nurses and midwives will end in March 2022.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will stop accepting new people onto the Covid-19 temporary register from 24 March, when the relevant part of the Coronavirus Act 2020 expires.

However, the NMC confirmed that people already on the temporary register can continue to practise after this date. It asked the Government to provide three to six months’ notice ahead of the temporary registration ending for all, allowing eligible people time to move to the permanent register if they wish.

Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC Chief Executive and Registrar, said:

“Nurses and midwives on our Covid-19 temporary register have played an incredible part in the national response to the pandemic. Thousands answered our call to join, and have helped to keep essential health and care services going under extreme pressure during the emergency. We’re very grateful to everyone for their dedication and commitment.

“Now that we’re moving into a new phase of the Government’s approach, we’ll prepare to close the temporary register carefully over the coming months. We’ll keep all our temporary registrants and our partners informed with as much notice as possible. And we’ll support eligible professionals to move on to our permanent register, if they want to keep practising.”