The NMC is about to launch its biggest public consultation in a decade. From September to December 2026, every nurse, midwife, and nursing associate in the UK will have the chance to shape the new Code and the future of revalidation.
Here are the five things you need to know.
The NMC Council approved the consultation on 21 July 2026. It will launch in September and run for approximately three months. The exact start date has not been confirmed, but you should expect it early in September.
The consultation will be open to all registrants, the public, employers, and other stakeholders. You can respond as an individual or through your organisation. The NMC will publish the full draft Code and the detailed revalidation proposals at the start of the consultation.
Source: NMC official news release, 21 July 2026
Nursing Times reports the target dates clearly. The new Code is expected to go live in October 2027. The updated revalidation process follows in April 2028.
This timeline means there are no immediate changes for anyone revalidating before April 2028. The existing process and the current Code remain in force. If your revalidation is due in the next 18 months, nothing changes for you.
Source: Nursing Times: NMC seeks to take Code and revalidation update to next step
The NMC has announced five areas where the new Code will be strengthened:
These are not minor edits. They represent a significant expansion of the Code's scope. The consultation is your chance to shape how these standards are written and applied.
The NMC's year-long evidence review included a survey that received 13,757 responses from professionals and the public. That feedback shaped the proposals the Council approved. Individual voices carried weight.
The same applies to the consultation. The NMC will analyse every response. Professional bodies will submit their own responses, but individual registrants often provide the most valuable insights: the real-world experience of working with the Code day to day.
If you have ever read a Code standard and thought "that does not reflect my reality," here is your chance to say so. The NMC has proven it listens.
The NMC has been explicit: "We are not proposing radical changes to requirements or processes. We intend this to be an evolution rather than a revolution."
The core requirements stay the same: 450 practice hours, 35 hours CPD, five reflective accounts, reflective discussion, and confirmation. The changes are about how these requirements are evidenced, verified, and linked to the Code. The mandatory feedback form, the confirmer default, and the 12-week extension are all improvements to the existing framework, not a new system.
This is reassuring, but it also means your current portfolio practices will serve you well. There is no need to overhaul how you work. Build good habits now and they will carry you through the transition.
Stay informed with revalidation tools that adapt to changing NMC requirements.
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NMC-validated content. This article is based on official NMC publications published July 2026. All factual claims are sourced directly from NMC publications or independently verified. Sources listed above.
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