The confirmer feedback form for revalidation has been optional since 2016. That is changing. Under the NMC's new proposals, the form will become mandatory and its focus will shift to what you learned and how you improved.
Nursing Times reports that the NMC "wants to strengthen the feedback requirement, by making the optional template into a mandatory form that focuses on what professionals learned and how they improved their practice."
The NMC has not published the final form yet (that will come during the consultation from September to December 2026). But based on what the Council papers and Nursing Times reporting tell us, the new form will differ from the current one in key ways:
Current form. The optional template asks confirmers to tick boxes confirming the registrant has met the practice hours, CPD, and reflective account requirements. It includes a section for the confirmer to raise any concerns about fitness to practise.
New form. The mandatory form will focus on what the professional learned and how they improved their practice. Instead of a compliance checklist, think of it as a structured professional development record that your confirmer completes after your reflective discussion.
Source: Nursing Times: NMC seeks to take Code and revalidation update to next step
If your confirmer will be asked to document what you learned and how you improved, your portfolio needs to make that easy for them. Here is how to prepare:
Write reflective accounts that show change. A reflective account that says "I attended a workshop on wound care" is weak. One that says "I attended a workshop on wound care, changed my practice on aseptic technique, and the change reduced infection rates on my ward" is strong. The difference is evidence of improvement.
Link CPD to outcomes. For each piece of CPD, note how it changed your practice. Did you update a protocol? Change how you communicate with patients? Improve a clinical skill? Write it down.
Prepare for the reflective discussion. The mandatory feedback form makes the reflective discussion more important, not less. Your confirmer needs enough detail from your conversation to complete the form meaningfully. Go into the discussion with examples ready.
Here is what the new form might look like in practice:
Weak feedback: "The registrant completed their CPD hours and presented their reflective accounts. No concerns raised."
Strong feedback: "The registrant completed 40 hours of CPD including a course on recognising sepsis in paediatric patients. They reflected on how this learning changed their assessment practice, specifically their use of the NEWS2 score in children. They identified a gap in their team's awareness and led a teaching session for colleagues. Their reflective accounts demonstrate clear application of learning to practice."
If you are working towards revalidation in the current system, start documenting your learning outcomes now. The habit will serve you well when the new form arrives.
The mandatory feedback form is part of the revalidation refresh expected to go live in April 2028. If your revalidation is due before then, the current optional form still applies. But building learning-focused habits now will save you work later.
Revalidation Copilot generates structured reflections from voice notes, perfect for evidencing what you learned and how you improved practice.
Free to start on iOS and Android.
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.
Revalidation Copilot is produced by Beemal Innovation Ltd. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.