A government crackdown on unqualified individuals misusing the title of ‘nurse’ has moved forward with the launch of a public call for evidence, seeking views on how best to legally protect the term and prevent patient harm.
Currently, anyone in the UK – including those struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for serious misconduct – can legally call themselves a nurse . The only title protected in law is ‘registered nurse’, a loophole the government has vowed to close.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has now launched a call for evidence to determine which professions and roles should be permitted to use the title in the future . The move comes as part of a wider pledge to make it a criminal offence for unqualified people to call themselves a nurse, with offenders potentially facing hefty fines.
The campaign has been given added urgency following the tragic death of four-year-old Madison Bruce Smith, grandson of former football manager Steve Bruce. Madison died in October 2024 after a ‘maternity nurse’ – who had no medical qualifications other than basic first aid – advised his parents to position him to sleep on his front, contrary to guidance that babies should always be placed on their back.
A coroner subsequently criticised the ‘misleading’ use of the title, noting that “any person can describe themselves as a maternity nurse or a sleep nurse” and that the term “gave the impression of a level of knowledge and skills that were not present”.
The call for evidence, which will close at the end of September, is seeking views from patients, the public, regulators, trade unions, employers, educators, charities, and social care bodies.
The aim is to understand how the protection should work in practice, including the potential impact on patients, nurses, and services, and to establish which roles – such as dental nurses, veterinary nurses, and nursery nurses – will be legitimately exempt .
Health and Social Care Minister, Baroness Gillian Merron said: ‘Patients should never have to question whether the person calling themselves a nurse is properly qualified. The title carries huge trust – and anyone misusing it risks undermining not just public confidence, but patient safety too.
‘That is why we are asking for views on how best to protect the title, stop misuse and make sure patients know they are in safe hands.’
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, added: ‘Patients and families place enormous trust in registered nurses – trust that is built on the rigorous education, training and professional standards required to be on the nursing register. By protecting the title of nurse, we can help maintain public confidence that care is being provided by professionals with the right education, skills and accountability.
‘This call for evidence is an important opportunity to help shape how future protections for the title of nurse should work in practice, and I would encourage patients, the public, nurses and midwives, trade unions, and colleagues across health and care and education to share their views.’
Photo: MedicAlert UK
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