Willis Commission on Nursing Education

The Willis Commission on Nursing Education is looking at how best to deliver pre-registration nurse education in order to provide a nursing workforce fit for future health and social care services in the UK. People are now living longer, but not necessarily healthier, lives and as a result require more complex care. It is vital that the nursing workforce adapts to meet these challenges and the Commission believes that looking at pre-registration education is fundamental to this. It will be calling for evidence to determine what excellent nurse preparation looks like and to suggest areas that may require attention and further research.

Read the RCN press release Lord Willis of Knaresborough, Chair of Education Commission

Chair and Panel Members

Profile of Lord Willis of Knaresborough, Chair of Education Commission (Word 43KB)

Panel Members (Word 13KB)

Terms of reference

Context

Nurse education and the quality of its “product” has recently been the subject of public and professional comment, including a debate at the RCN’s 2010 Congress. Inquiries and publications from sources have also noted areas of concern and the Commission is keen to address these.

Nurse education itself is not a static phenomenon and since the 1980s has been mainstreamed from hospital schools of nursing to higher education institutions. The growth of these departments of nursing has also been accompanied by a significant growth in associated activities such as research, publication and the appointment of deans of nursing. Despite this achievement of “professionalisation” concern remains regarding the fitness of purpose of nursing graduates.

Scope and objectives

Given the above context the Willis Commission on Nursing Education will consider the following question:

“What are the defining features of excellent education and practice preparation and supervision for those working towards registration that will provide a nursing workforce fit for future health and social care services in the UK?”

In doing so it will formulate recommendations with a view to:

assisting education providers and commissioners in removing or reducing the barriers to whatever best practice is identified by the commission
assisting policy makers in determining what financial and human resources for nurse education need to be in place to produce a nursing workforce fit for future health and social care needs
supporting those responsible for providing practice placements in developing appropriate standards for pre-registration supervision and support and post-registration preceptorship
promoting a positive public image of nurse education and preparation for practice.

Remit to make recommendations

In considering these issues the Commission will have regard to the legal and operational framework within which nurse education and preparation already exists.

The Commission will also have regard to the wider goals of financial sustainability, developing relationships with future providers, with specific attention paid to the potential impact of its recommendations on the independent sector.