The campaign to protect the title 'nurse' is gaining momentum in the UK. Currently, anyone can call themselves a nurse, which can be misleading and even dangerous for patients. The protection of the title 'nurse' is crucial for patient safety and public trust. It ensures that patients receive care from qualified professionals and prevents individuals with no nursing qualifications from misrepresenting themselves.

The #ProtectNurse campaign, led by Professor Alison Leary, aims to change this by making it a legal requirement for only registered nurses to use the title. The professional forums (led by Sally Bassett) proposed and passed a resolution in favour of protecting the title at its annual Congress in 2022, giving the RCN the mandate to advocate for the law to be changed and to work with the NMC to support the 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. On International Nurses' Day 2025, the UK government announced plans to legally protect the title 'nurse'. The announcement was made by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting who emphasised the importance of safeguarding trust in the profession. 

The protection of the title 'nurse' is expected to be enacted through an amendment to the NMC Order 2001. It is understood that this will happen after the reforms to the General Medical Council (GMC) and the comprehensive reform of NMC regulations. 

These changes aim to ensure that only registered nurses can use the title 'nurse', with exemptions for titles such as 'veterinary nurse' and 'dental nurse'. It is essential that the campaign's momentum is maintained until the law changes. The campaign team remains in contact with Dawn Butler, and the RCN advocates for the change at every opportunity.

Further reading:

• Nursing union welcomes better legal protections for nursing professionals
• Protect the 'nurse' title: an update