Posted on: Mon 12-05-2025

Issued by: Department of Health and Social Care and The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP

Subject: New Legal Protections for the Title "Nurse"

To improve public safety and patient trust, the government has announced new legislation making it a criminal offence for individuals without proper qualifications and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration to use the title “nurse.”

Key Points:

New Offence Introduced: Only individuals registered with the NMC will legally be allowed to use the title "nurse." Misuse of the title will be a criminal offence, subject to a fine of thousands of pounds.

Current Gap in the Law: Currently, anyone – including those removed from the NMC register due to misconduct – can not call themselves a nurse, misleading the public and compromising patient safety.

Exemptions: Legitimate professional titles such as veterinary nurse, dental nurse, and nursery nurse will remain unaffected.

Legislation Timeline: The new law will be introduced within this Parliament, as part of the government’s broader Plan for Change to reform and strengthen the NHS.

Purpose and Impact:

Public Protection: The new offence aims to prevent unqualified individuals from providing misleading or dangerous healthcare advice and services.

Support for the Nursing Profession: This measure responds to years of campaigning by professional bodies and MPs to recognise and protect the qualifications and credibility of registered nurses.

Restoring Trust: It ensures patients can trust that those identifying as nurses are professionally trained, regulated, and held to high standards.

Supporting Voices:

Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary: “This new law will crack down on bogus beauticians and conspiracy theorists posing as nurses. Patients must be certain that the person treating them is genuinely qualified.”

Nursing and Patient Safety Leaders: Prominent voices from the Royal College of Nursing, Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council have welcomed the announcement as essential for patient safety and professional integrity.

UNISON and Patient Advocacy Groups: These organisations support the move to safeguard patients and uphold the public's trust in NHS staff.

Investigations have revealed cases where individuals, including those removed from the NMC register, continued to use the nurse title while offering unregulated services or spreading misinformation. A Freedom of Information request showed over 8,000 NHS staff used the term “nurse” in job titles without being NMC-registered.

Additional Information:

The offence will be a summary offence, meaning it will be tried in a magistrates’ court and is punishable by a fine.

The government will clearly define exemptions to ensure legitimate use of the term “nurse” in other professional roles.

The legislation supports broader NHS reform efforts, including workforce planning and regulatory modernization.

This action represents a critical step in recognising the expertise of registered nurses and ensuring public confidence in healthcare services.

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