Published on 10th June 2025, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC): Principles for Advanced Practice provides guidance to promote clarity, consistency, and safety in advanced nursing and midwifery roles across the UK. Developed in collaboration with professionals, employers, and the public, these principles respond to widespread variation in how advanced practice is defined and delivered.
Advanced practice plays a crucial role in meeting the complex needs of patients and communities, but recent reviews have highlighted a lack of shared understanding about what these roles involve. The NMC’s new principles aim to address this by setting out clear expectations for advanced practitioners and the organisations that employ them.
As the NMC explains:
“These principles offer a clear foundation for advanced practice that, when supported by employers across all health and social care settings, will help ensure public safety and confidence."
Key recommendations
- Employers should establish strong governance, supervision, and clear accountability for advanced practitioners.
- Professionals working at an advanced level should demonstrate autonomous decision-making, collaboration, leadership, reflection, and involvement in education and research.
- The principles should guide the development of future regulatory standards, workforce planning, and education.
Looking ahead, the NMC plans to use these principles to inform new advanced practice standards of proficiency and programme criteria, due to be developed in 2027. Transitional support will also be provided for those already working at this level to align with future requirements.
Find out more here
Featured Event: Nurse Clinics 2025
Tuesday 18th November 2025
Virtual CPD Conference
This important conference will focus on developing and improving nurse-led clinics, supporting advanced nursing practice in line with the new NMC principles, and ensuring safe, effective, and patient-centred care across all settings.
