‘Nurse’ title should be legally protected to prevent exploitation – Labour MP
Dawn Butler pressed the Government to change legislation, as she raised concerns that those who have been struck off can continue to use the title.
The title of nurse should be legally protected, a Labour MP has said as she raised concerns that those who have been struck off can continue to use it.
Dawn Butler said there are multiple examples of the title being “exploited”, as she pressed the Government to change legislation.
Speaking in Parliament, the Brent East MP said 93% of NHS trusts have more than 8,000 people using the title of nurse who do not have any registered nursing qualifications.
The former minister said “it’s about time that we show the nursing community just how much we value and appreciate their qualifications”, as she presented the Nurse (Use of Title) Bill using a ten-minute rule motion.
On Tuesday, she told MPs: “My Bill today is about protecting the public, and respecting the training and qualifications and experiences of registered nurses.
“Now I’m sure it would come as a shock to many people here today, and watching this, that anyone can actually call themselves a nurse. They can print out a business card and they can start work, and that would be fine. That’s currently legal.
“Even those who have been struck off the Nursing Midwifery Council, registered for serious misconduct, or have a criminal conviction can continue calling themselves a nurse.
“And this is unacceptable and is actually quite dangerous, because when you hear nurse, you automatically think somebody is qualified.”
She added: “A freedom of information request by Nursing Standard found that 93% of all NHS trusts had more than 8,000 people using the term nurse in their job title, who in fact had no registered nursing qualifications. This is worrying.”
Ms Butler said the “simplest way” to rectify the situation is to amend the Professional Qualifications Act 2022 to say “registered nurse”.
She added that protected titles such as veterinary nurse and dental nurse would not be impacted by the Bill.
Ms Butler continued: “We cannot wait any longer to do it, because we know how dangerous the current situation can be for patients.
“Cassandra Grant, 39, a dangerous fantasist who posed as a nurse at the Blenheim Palace horse trials, jailed for four years. She was involved in injecting an injured rider.
“She repeatedly lied about having medical and mental health qualifications, and the judge said it made his blood run cold to think of Grant getting her hands on a patient.
“Kate Shemirani was a nurse who claimed 5G caused Covid symptoms and spread vaccine misinformation. She was struck off, but she was still able to call herself a nurse and was legally able to do so.
“Lee Woods, a 28-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with impersonating a member of the nursing staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
“I could, unfortunately, go on and on and on of cases where the title of nurse has been exploited in this way. So it’s really important that we legislate.
“And building on the hard work of the #ProtectNurse, I hope that the Labour Government will now be able to improve this legislation.”
Ms Butler, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2021 following a routine breast screening, paid tribute to a nurse who cared for her during her treatment.
“When I think about nurses, I also think about my cancer nurse, Amy, and I think about how amazing and special she is. So this Bill and this campaign is also a tribute to her,” she said.
Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive professor Nicola Ranger said: “The changes in this Bill will provide better legal protections for nursing. This includes preventing those who have lost the right to be called nurses from legally continuing to do so.
“We will continue to urge Government and parties across the political spectrum to get behind this campaign, ensuring our highly skilled profession gets the respect it deserves.”
