NMC Annual Report and Accounts 2013 - 14

AEIs to involve patients and the public in the design and development of
training programmes.
• Published for the first time, the list of AEIs and LSAs to be visited during 2013-
2014 to improve openness and transparency about this important area of
regulation. Outcomes from the quality assurance monitoring will be published
in a separate annual report.
• Published details of the approach we will take when concerns are identified.
This involves a graduated response depending on the nature and seriousness
of the issue guided by the need to protect the public.
• Introduced a new webpage to provide an easily accessible guide for patients
and the public on our role in relation to the education and training of nurses
and midwives. This includes information about how the public can get involved
in quality assurance of nursing and midwifery programmes.
17 We are working closely with partner bodies across the four countries who also
have a role in education, workforce or commissioning matters such as Health
Education England, local education and training boards and NHS Education
Scotland to ensure that our work is complementary and secures the best
outcomes for patients and the public.
Standards
18 The Francis report and related reviews reinforced the importance of ensuring our
standards and guidance are focused on patient safety and public protection. We
have sought to ensure that this is reflected in our standards and guidance to
influence the behaviour of nurses and midwives.
19 Our work this year has focused on strengthening our approach including:
• Setting an overarching policy which requires our standards and guidance to be
patient-centred, outcome-focused and in line with right touch regulation.
• Developing clear methodologies (including criteria) for the development and
review of standards and guidance and evaluating their impact on public
protection.
• Agreeing a cycle of planned reviews of existing standards based on an
analysis of risk.
20 In response to the Liverpool Care Pathway review, More Care, Less Pathway
(2013), we looked closely at how best to provide guidance on ensuring end of life
care meets the wishes and needs of patients and their families. We concluded that
the most effective and proportionate approach would be to address this in our
review of the Code for nurses and midwives (see below). We also worked
collaboratively with the Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People to
develop a system-wide approach to improving end of life care and the outcomes of
this work will be launched shortly.
21 Nurses and midwives have a professional duty to take action if they have concerns
about the safety or well-being of those in their care. To help them, we refreshed
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