NMC Relaunches Forum to Strengthen Support for Diaspora Nurses and Midwives
- Jan 30
- 2 min read
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has relaunched a strategic forum aimed at improving engagement and support for diaspora nurses and midwives working across the United Kingdom’s health and care system.
The move comes as the professional register becomes increasingly diverse, with over 286,000 nurses, midwives and nursing associates from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, accounting for roughly one-third of the workforce. These professionals play a critical role in service delivery but continue to report challenges linked to racism, discrimination and cultural barriers in the workplace.
The refreshed Diaspora Registrant Associations Forum (DRAF) is designed to provide a structured platform for diaspora professionals to share their lived experiences directly with the regulator. Insights from the forum are expected to inform policy, regulatory practice and strategic decision-making within the NMC.
According to Tracey MacCormack, Chair of the forum and Assistant Director of Midwifery at the NMC, the relaunch reflects the need for regulation to evolve alongside workforce demographics. She said the forum would enable earlier identification of emerging issues and ensure regulatory processes better support safe, effective and inclusive care.
Membership of the forum includes senior leaders from a broad range of diaspora registrant associations across the UK. These groups represent African, Caribbean, South Asian, East Asian, European, Middle Eastern, refugee and faith-based communities, many of which provide professional, pastoral and wellbeing support to their members.
Under its renewed structure, DRAF will also contribute to the NMC’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy. The forum’s first meeting in January focused on key priorities such as reforms to Fitness to Practise procedures, reviews of the professional Code and changes to revalidation requirements.
Representatives from diaspora organisations have welcomed the initiative, describing it as an important space for open dialogue with the regulator. They say the forum offers an opportunity to address barriers to professional development, promote cultural understanding, and ensure that the voices of internationally educated and diaspora nurses and midwives are meaningfully reflected in UK healthcare regulation.
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