The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) yesterday released its Culture Transformation Plan for 2025-2028. The plan addresses serious concerns raised in the Independent Culture Review (July 2024), which uncovered a problematic workplace environment characterised by fear of speaking up, systemic discrimination, and inequities in the Fitness to Practise process that disproportionately affected professionals from minority ethnic backgrounds and risked compromising patient and staff safety.
The three year transformation strategy published today is built around six key pillars: Strong and Effective Leadership, Values-based Decision-making, Embedding EDI, Ensuring Psychological Safety, Enjoying Work, and Regulatory Fairness. The NMC’s plan includes specific measures such as comprehensive leadership development, new decision-making frameworks aligned with core values, and a complete redesign of the Fitness to Practise process to ensure timeliness, person-centeredness, and equitable outcomes.
In response, Florence Nightingale Foundation CEO Prof Greta Westwood CBE said:
“The findings of the Independent Culture Review were deeply concerning and the NMC’s comprehensive response today is a positive step forward. By focusing on leadership development, psychological safety, and fairness in regulatory processes, they’re addressing the root causes that have undermined trust and created inequities. These challenges affect registrants and patients and service users alike – so meaningful action cannot come soon enough. Our experience of providing leadership development opportunities to nurses and midwives at all stages of their career shows us the importance of creating more effective and equitable environments in which our professions can truly thrive.”
Nurses and midwives who are currently going through Fitness to Practise proceedings can access support through several channels, including their union representatives, professional bodies, and workplace wellbeing services. Registrants can also contact the Fitness to Practise Careline on 0800 587 7396 to provide support. The service is free, independent, confidential and non-judgemental.
