28 January 2026
NIPEC has officially launched a new Learning and Development Framework designed to strengthen and support the professional growth of nurses, midwives, and healthcare support workers across Northern Ireland. This regionally endorsed resource provides healthcare organisations with a structured, approach to building capability, enhancing skills, and ultimately improving outcomes for patients and clients.
An online session on MS Teams is organised for 16 February @1pm. If you are a nurse of a midwife with managerial responsibilities and are involved in planning and selecting learning and development opportunities for your staff, join us to hear how the Framework can help you.
Developed in close collaboration with senior nursing and midwifery teams across Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI) and the Independent sector, the Framework provides a range of practical resources and signposts to relevant learning and development opportunities. It enables staff at every level to identify, access, and engage in the most appropriate development activities for their role.
NIPEC Senior Professional Officers, Gary Cousins and Fiona Bradley, emphasised the essential contribution of colleagues across the system in shaping this Framework and highlighted the collective responsibility now required to embed it into organisations. Gary and Fiona are currently meeting with senior nursing and midwifery teams across the region to raise awareness and promote the implementation of the Framework. An online session on MS Teams is organised for 16 February @1pm. Please register using the QR code.
The Learning and Development Framework forms a core component of the new NI Career and Development Model, launched by the Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt, at the NIPEC Conference in December 2025. Together, these initiatives aim to support a confident, skilled, and sustainable workforce equipped to meet the evolving needs of health and social care.
As Northern Ireland’s healthcare system continues to evolve to the changing needs of patients and clients, new models of care, and advances in technology, the Framework will play a vital role in ensuring that learning and development are effectively aligned to meeting the needs of the service.
Additional Information
- At the NIPEC Conference, Minister of Health Mike Nesbitt noted that the Career and Development Model provides clear routes for progression across clinical practice, leadership, education, and research, demonstrating the Department of Health’s commitment to developing and retaining a modern nursing and midwifery workforce.
- Professor Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer, described the Career and Development Model as a milestone for nursing and midwifery in Northern Ireland and a key step in delivering the priorities set out in Shaping Our Future: The Strategic Vision for Nursing and Midwifery 2023–2028.
- The NI Career and Development Model supports structured career progression across three pathways: clinical practice, operational management, and education and research, making professional development more visible, achievable, and aligned with the needs of the population.