NMBI has issued final reminder renewal notices for 2021 in the past few days. The 2021 renewal facility will close for the year at 23.59 on 16 April 2021 and the Board will consider removals on 20 April 2021.

Seven years have passed since the NMBI published guidance about the use of social media for registered nurses and midwives but that guidance remains equally relevant and important today.

The Board of the NMBI has 23 members with a lay majority of 12. Of the remaining 11 members, eight are registered nurses and midwives elected by the professions. A further three nurses and midwives are appointed by the Minister for Health.

NMBI is inviting calls for expressions of interest from members of the public, who have never been registered as a nurse or a midwife, to fill four vacancies on the Fitness to Practise Committee.

All nurses and midwives are legally required to be registered with NMBI in order to carry out their duties as a nurse or midwife.

Revenue has advised that if you are receiving a flat rate expense, you should note that the annual retention fee of €100 is included in the flat rate expense amount.

NMBI has announced that it is planning to run a public consultation in 2021 in order to publish Guidelines for Ethical Standards and Behaviour for Candidates (Students).

Dawn Johnson, NMBI’s Director of Professional Standards (Midwifery), explained the need for the guidelines and the input from stakeholder groups.

The Central Applications Office (CAO) has released 2021 application data up to the Change of Course Choices closing date of 1 March showing a large increase in applications for nursing and midwifery courses.

In total 79,176 applications were received by CAO by the 1 February closing date – an increase of 6,203 applicants on the previous year.

A round up of the latest news stories including:

• NMBI CEO attends RCSI annual conference
• Nurses launch ‘Answers for Cancers’ podcast
• Irishman’s legacy funds world-leading caesarean research in New Zealand
• Irish Association for Cancer Research Annual Conference
• Hospital launches virtual Maternity Unit tour
• Irish Cancer Society launches Night Nurse recruitment drive
• Latest Covid-19 information from the Department of Health and HSE

With Julie Belton, Director of Cuckloo Lane Health Practice, Ealing, London

For more than 6,500 patients in the west London borough of Ealing ‘going to see the doctor’ hasn’t been part of their language for more than a decade.

For this portion of a diverse community where half of the population is from the BAME community (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) going to see ‘the nurse’ is how they see primary care, their care.

Labhaoise Temple, Public Health Nurse in Dunfanaghy and Creeslough, north Donegal.