Campaign to protect the title 'nurse' moves closer to becoming law

In 2025, the Westminster government announced the job title "nurse" would be given protection in law to ensure only those with the right education and registration can use it. Currently, "registered nurse" is protected in law, but the more commonly used title "nurse" is not.

Now the government is calling for evidence on the list of professions and roles that should be permitted to describe themselves as nurses, as it moves towards making it a criminal offence for unqualified people to use the title.

Professor Lynn Woolsey, RCN Chief Nursing Officer, said: “This is a significant win and step towards protecting the title of nurse. It's right that the government has committed to this after our members campaigned tirelessly to secure this for nursing.

“Nursing is a highly skilled, safety-critical profession and it’s essential to patient safety that our title is protected.”

According to the government announcement, the move forms part of wider efforts to protect patients, strengthen public confidence and uphold professional standards across health and care.

“Patients and their families deserve to trust that when they’re told they’re being treated by a nurse, it’s a registered nurse providing their care. They need to be able to trust that knowledge, professionalism and clinical expertise that comes with our profession,” said Lynn.

The call for evidence will seek views from patients, the public, regulators, trade unions, employers, educators, charities, social care bodies and organisations that currently use "nurse" in professional titles. The aim is to understand how protection of the title should work in practice and what impact it could have on patients, nurses, services and organisations.

The announcement follows years of campaigning by RCN members and nursing leaders.

In 2021, RCN Deputy President Professor Alison Leary MBE, RCN Fellow Paul Trevatt MBE and other RCN members launched the #ProtectNurse campaign, while members at RCN Congress voted in favour of a resolution to protect the title "nurse" in 2022.

Alison said: "The #ProtectNurse campaign welcomes progress on this issue. We’ve had a great deal of contact with the public and other professional groups who support the protection of the title nurse and its use solely by registered nurses and as a conjoined protected title, for example, dental nurse.

“We look forward to more progress on the commitment the previous secretary of state for health and social care made last year, and we’re grateful for the support of patient groups, professional associations and Dawn Butler MP, who has been pivotal in this campaign.”

Labour MP Dawn Butler has led political support to protect the title. A bill to protect the title “nurse” was introduced to parliament in February 2025.

We’ve continued to engage with the Department of Health and Social Care on the development of the legislation. A strategic group established by the RCN is overseeing work on the issue and will continue to meet as the legislative change progresses.

It's important to note that this is not a statutory consultation, and the government has still not published draft legislation. We will continue working with campaigners to ensure ministers deliver on their commitment to protect the “nurse” title. This is an important issue and must remain a priority.