Minister announces development of Nursing & Midwifery Career Framework

Date published: 10 September 2025

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced the development of a new career framework for nursing and midwifery to support workforce retention and personal development.

The ambition of the Framework is to support practitioners, managers, educators, and policy leaders in adopting a regionally agreed approach that enables nurses and midwives to have a positive career experience.

It seeks to empower staff to maximise their professional growth, promote a well-resourced and skilled workforce, and provide structured routes for recruitment, retention, and career progression. It will also offer encouragement and guidance to help individuals confidently shape their career journey and pursue professional growth with confidence.

The NI Career and Development Model for Nursing & Midwifery, which is due to be formally launched later this year, will support nurses, midwives, and support staff and will be informed by three core career pathways - clinical, operational and management, and education and research.

The Health Minister said: 

“Latest available figures show a 3% rise in the numbers of nurses and midwives on the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) register in Northern Ireland.

“This is encouraging data, but we know that there are still a significant number of nursing and midwifery posts vacant across our system. That’s why we are focused on ensuring that recruitment, retention, and career progression are at the core of our agenda.

“We are therefore taking practical steps to build a system in which staff feel supported and empowered to deliver the care for which they have been trained.”

The Minister was speaking at this year’s Chief Nursing Officer conference, where he also announced the commencement of a new regional Masters in Advanced Practice programme.

Delivered by both Queen’s University, Belfast, and Ulster University, it will enable the growth of the Advanced Practice workforce to meet strategic workforce and policy priorities, while increasing the opportunity for interprofessional learning.

Work is also underway to establish a NI Advanced Practice Academy to support the education, training, and ongoing professional development of the Advanced Practice workforce.

The conference was attended by approximately 240 people, primarily nurses and midwives from across Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care sector. This year’s theme was Empowering Nurses and Midwives to provide Kind and Inclusive Care.

Professor Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer, said: 

“A key aim of my vision for Nursing & Midwifery, Shaping the Future, is to maximise the potential of the nursing and midwifery workforce, including our healthcare support workers.

“That includes effective workforce and workload planning, investment in education and training and the expansion of career pathways. The Framework announced today is aimed at encouraging our nursing and midwifery colleagues to embrace professional growth opportunities and to know they are supported and encouraged to do so.

“And central to that is a workplace and system in which staff know that their voice matters, that feedback is welcomed, and they feel supported and nurtured. Prioritising staff wellbeing is essential for our staff to deliver the sustainable, high-quality care we expect.”

The conference keynote speaker was Dr Chris Turner, a consultant in emergency medicine at University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, who delivered an address on the theme of Why Civility Matters in our Complex World.