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Nurses: Private Sector

Asked by Ruth JonesLabourDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 23 June 2026UIN 10223

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of regulating the role of maternity nurses within the private childcare sector; and what assessment he has made of the potential risks of such roles continuing to not be subject to professional regulation.

Answered by Karin Smyth

No assessment has been made of the potential merits of regulating the role of maternity nurse. The Government intends to protect the professional title “nurse” through planned reforms to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s governing legislation. This will ensure that only those who hold registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a nurse, or otherwise meet a specific exemption, can legally call themselves a nurse. A call for evidence, seeking views on how the title “nurse” should be protected, is expected to be published shortly.

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