NMC Inviting Overseas Nurses to join Covid-19 Temporary Register

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is taking immediate action by inviting additional overseas-trained nurses to join its Covid-19 temporary register to help strengthen workforce capacity in the immediate period and coming weeks. Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) centres remain open to support these professionals - some of whom will already be working in health and care settings – to continue their journey to permanent registration.

However, in the interests of supporting the current emergency situation as quickly as possible, NMC recognises the value of the temporary register running in parallel with this process so eligible candidates can choose to work as temporarily registered nurses with conditions of practice, if they wish to do so.

While the entire workforce is under significant pressure, current ring-fencing of maternity services is maintaining midwifery care for women, babies and families. NMC agreed that no overseas-trained midwives will be invited to join the temporary register at this time.

Who is invited to join the temporary register?

1. Overseas-trained nurses who have been issued with their OSCE decision letters, of which there are currently just over 2,000 people.

2. Overseas-trained nurses from whom the NMC has received a registration application and relevant supporting declarations. We will ask employers to work with the NMC to identify who they wish to include on the temporary register from this group and to provide certification regarding each applicant’s English language ability, clinical skills, and health and character.

For overseas applicants and those who left the register four or five years ago

• You must work as registered nurse or midwife in an employed capacity for a health or social care employer.

• You should always work under the direction of an NMC registered nurse, midwife or other registered healthcare professional who is not on a temporary register.

For students

          You must ensure that you are supervised any time you are working. Your supervision must consist of:

• Working at all times with, but not always directly observed by, a NMC registered nurse, midwife or other registered healthcare professional, who is not on a temporary register.

• You must not carry out any activity in which you have not been assessed as competent and appropriately signed off during your training unless you are supervised by an NMC registered nurses, midwives and other registered healthcare professionals who are not on a temporary register (unless a lifesaving intervention is required to avoid sudden and unexpected death). 

           Source Reference:https://www.nmc.org.uk/​