Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that only registered nurses are able to use the title of nurse.

The Government recognises that the protection in law of certain professional titles is important for public safety. Protecting a title provides assurance to the public that the person using that title is competent and safe to practise.

Although ‘registered nurse’ is a protected title, ‘nurse’ is currently not a protected title. The Government is aware of the concerns which this generates, along with the complications associated with protecting the nurse title, given that it is used in multiple professions, for example registered nurses, dental nurses, school nurses, and veterinary nurses.

The Government will continue to work with the professional regulators, including the Nursing and Midwifery Council, as it considers its priorities for professional regulation, and will set out its position shortly.