Explanatory note

The Rules approved by this Order and made by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting further amend the Rules approved by the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Rules Approval Order 1993 (“the principal Rules”) (S.I. 1983/873) to make it clear that the provisions in rule 7 relating to admission to the register for nurses and midwives with qualifications designated as having Community equivalence apply not only to EEA nationals but in other situations where enforceable Community rights are being exercised and in particular to non-EEA spouses and certain children of EEA nationals who have rights under Regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68 (Article 2(2)).

The principal Rules are further amended to the effect that EEA nationals (and non-EEA spouses and children of EEA nationals where an enforceable Community right is being exercised in relation to admission to the register under rule 8) are not required to satisfy the Council before being admitted to the register that they have a particular knowledge of English.

The principal Rules require the training of student nurses (for entry to Parts 1 and 12 of the register) and midwives (for entry to Part 10) to meet the training requirements set out in Council Directives Nos. 77/453/EEC (Nurses) and 80/155/EEC (Midwives). Article 2(5) and (6) of the Rules approved by this Order amends the definitions of those Directives to reflect the amendments made to the training requirements in those Directives by Article 2 of Council Directive 89/595/EEC and Article 27 of Council Directive No. 89/594/EEC.