Our CEO, Sheila McClelland, presented on the regulatory challenges faced by the NMBI and the wider healthcare sector at the recent Medical Council’s Staff and Council Member Conference.

Taking place on 17 October, the conference aimed to foster engagement and increase understanding of the wider healthcare system, and the challenges it faces among the Medical Council’s staff and council members.

Presenting under the topic of Regulatory challenges in a health system under pressure, Sheila spoke about the challenges from the perspective of the NMBI, alongside contributors from the Medical Council, Mental Health Commission (MHC), the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and CORU.

Sheila presented an overview of the NMBI’s role across registration, education and fitness to practise, and the challenges in those areas as identified through engagement with stakeholders and responses to our recent public consultation on NMBI’s future strategy for 2023-2025. Current challenges include the need for better data to inform workforce planning, more pathways and career progression for the midwifery and nursing professions and supporting the growing diversity in the sector.  

She also outlined how the NMBI operates as one part of a wider environment that is focused on ensuring the safety of patients, emphasising the importance of working collaboratively with partners including the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive (HSE), employers, managers, unions, educators, other regulatory bodies, service users, their representatives and registrants.

The event also heard discussions on Health Leadership - The challenges faced by leaders, and The Patient Perspective.