2 December 2025

NIPEC hosted a vibrant and well-attended conference: Stabilise, Reform and Deliver, which brought together more than 150 nurses and midwives from across Northern Ireland. The event highlighted significant regional achievements, strong collaboration across the professions, and a renewed focus on quality and was he platform for the launch of the Career and Development Model for Nursing and Midwifery.

Delegates heard an address from the Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt who said:

“Earlier this year I launched my three-year strategic Reset Plan built on three pillars: Stabilisation; Reform and Delivery. These are practical steps to restore confidence in our system and deliver care that is timely, safe, and equitable. Nurses and midwives are at the heart of this. Yet we cannot deliver reform without investing in and supporting our workforce, encouraging career development and focusing on workforce retention. That is why the launch of the Career Development Model for Nursing and Midwifery is so important. This model provides clear pathways for progression and personal development, whether in clinical practice, leadership, education, or research. It sends a powerful message: we value your expertise, and we will support your growth.”

Professor Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer, said:

“This launch is a milestone for Nursing and Midwifery in Northern Ireland and a key step in delivering on the priorities as set out in Shaping Our Future: The Strategic Vision for Nursing and Midwifery 2023 – 2028. It reflects our commitment to invest in people and to maximise the potential of the nursing and midwifery workforce to create a modern, sustainable health and social care system.

The NI Career and Development model provides structured routes for advancement across three core career pathways – clinical practice, operational management, and education and research – each making professional development visible and achievable. It offers a new approach to continuing professional development / education and commissioning. It will allow us to build and enable the workforce of tomorrow to more effectively meet the needs of the population.The HSC Reset Plan, launched in July, focuses on how we will stabilise, transform and deliver services to meet the current and future needs of our population. Crucially, this model underpins the reset agenda by connecting workforce strategy to service redesign.”

Professor Linda Kelly, NIPEC Chief Executive commented:

”The model has been co-produced with extensive engagement from nurses and midwives across a wide range of roles, including students, nursing assistants, maternity support workers, and registered practitioners. It is fitting for the model to have been launched at the NIPEC conference with many colleagues present who helped develop it.”

Career pathway development work was also profiled in 3 key areas: perioperative nursing, critical care nursing, and cancer nursing. The Service Specific section of the new careers website is live and the pathways can be accessed there, to enable implementation and support staff in their career journey.

A second major regional initiative, NIPEC’s Quality Excellence Framework (QEF), was also launched at the conference. Developed in partnership with colleagues across Health and Social Care, the QEF aims to provide assurance of high-quality care and professional practice across organisations. The Framework aligns with the Institute of Health Improvement’s quintuple aim: improving population health, enhancing patient experience, promoting value, supporting workforce wellbeing, and ensuring equity. Resources and tools to support the QEF are also available on the NIPEC website.

Reflecting the conference theme, several sessions focused on quality improvement and service reform. Delegates were particularly energised by keynote speaker Professor Jason Leitch CBE FRCS, Global Health Leader and Strategic Advisor, whose session “Keeping the faith… improvement in the turmoil” explored sustaining improvement efforts during periods of challenge.

Conference delegates also received updates from Professor Paula Holt MBE DL and Paula McLaren from the NMC on Revalidation, The Code and ANP Standards. A session led by Jonah Atos, WHSCT and Deepthi Roshan, SHSCT highlighted ongoing regional work to promote education and leadership opportunities for the Global Majority workforce.

Further reflections on professional culture and practice included an insightful session on psychological safety from Dr Janine Stockdale, QUB, whilst Kelly Forbes, RCN Nurse of the Year 2025, shared her inspirational nursing journey. Stephen Beattie from BSO explored opportunities and risks associated with AI in nursing and midwifery. The day concluded on a high note with a performance from the Belfast Rock Choir.

This year’s conference was also a moment of transition for Bronagh Scott, Chair of NIPEC as she steps down after 4 years as Chair. Kieran McCormick, current NIPEC Deputy Chair, will assume the role of Interim Chair until a new appointment is made.

More information and resources from the conference will be shared in the next weeks on the NIPEC website.  There will further engagement across health and social care in the New Year to raise awareness of the NI Career and Development Model for Nursing and Midwifery and to demonstrate the Learning and Development Framework and its accompanying resources.  The career pathways for critical care nursing, perioperative nursing and cancer nursing will have individual focused events to present them to their relevant groups to help ensure that the nursing and midwifery family have a greater awareness of the pathways.