As we start 2023, we are all greatly aware that there are ongoing challenges in our hospitals and particularly in our emergency departments. I would like to thank our nurses and midwives for their continued dedication to patient care. 

As the State’s regulator of the nursing and midwifery professions, we will continue to monitor the situation and engage with our stakeholders to support our registrants.  

We understand that nursing and midwifery retention is an ongoing issue across the Irish health service. While we cannot directly impact working conditions for the professions, one of our objectives for this year is to conduct research to better understand the factors which attract people to nursing and midwifery careers, and why they are leaving.  

This will take the form of an annual survey of those who voluntarily leave the Register and we will share this data with our stakeholders to inform retention strategies.   

Furthermore, we are continuing to make improvements to our registration process to bring new nurses and midwives into the country. In 2022, we issued 8,881 Decision Letters to overseas applicants applying to join the Register. Throughout 2022, we welcomed 5,008 nurses and midwives onto the Register.  

I would also like congratulate the new President of the Board, Louise Kavanagh McBride, who was elected at a Board meeting on 25 January and wish her well in the role. Louise has served on our Board since 2015, most recently as Vice President. I would also like to welcome the new members who will serve on the Board for the coming years. Under the Board, I look forward to implementing our new strategic objectives. 

As always, we remain committed to fulfilling our mission of protecting the public and the integrity of the professions of nursing and midwifery through the promotion of high standards of education, training, and professional conduct.  

We look forward to engaging with our registrants, stakeholders and partners to deliver this throughout 2023.  

Best wishes,

Sheila McClelland

NMBI CEO