Navigating the new NMC Standards for SCPHN School Nursing education

In the ever-evolving field of healthcare, educational standards and professional qualifications play a critical role in ensuring that practitioners are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide high-quality care. In 2022, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) published its updated standards for specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN), which includes significant changes affecting SCPHN School Nursing education. Since their release, SCPHN academics in universities across the UK have been actively updating their SCPHN School Nursing programmes in readiness for delivery from September 2024.

As the UK National Forum of School Health Educators (NFSHE) chair, I want to address some of these changes and their implications for the SCPHN readers and the broader community of child and young people practitioners.

The NMC's updated standards, notably the Part 3 Standards for post-registration programmes (NMC, 2024a) and the Standards of Proficiency for Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (NMC, 2024b) introduce several key changes to the SCPHN education framework. These updates reflect the NMC's commitment to ensuring that post-registration education remains relevant and rigorous, preparing practitioners for the complex and evolving demands of children and young people's public health nursing. Here are some of the significant changes: