New WHO collaborating centre in Ireland to focus on the regulation and continuing professional development of the nursing and midwifery workforces

The Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) has been designated a new WHO collaborating centre. The institution joins more than 800 such centres in over 80 countries across the world. WHO collaborating centres carry out activities in support of WHO’s programmes in areas such as nursing and midwifery, occupational health, communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases, and health technologies.

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Regulation and Continuing Professional Development will provide strategic advice to WHO/Europe, which will allow the Organization to support Member States in strengthening their nursing and midwifery workforces and health systems.

Ms Maggie Langins, Nursing and Midwifery Policy Adviser, explained, “In addition to ensuring patient safety and ethical practice, regulation can generate added value within health systems, including professional education, equitable distribution, workforce planning and the financial costs associated with health services. Support to Member States to make this happens is still very much needed in our region.”

Speaking at the launch of the Centre, Dean of the Faculty Dr Mary Boyd commented, “The Collaborating Centre is the first nursing or midwifery collaborating centre in Ireland and a crowning point for the Faculty, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The new Centre provides the infrastructure to integrate health, nursing and midwifery policy with research – supporting workforce planning and continuous professional development while bolstering professional regulation and facilitating professional leadership.”

Echoing these sentiments, Professor Michael Shannon, Co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre at RCSI, stated, “The designation enables us to contribute meaningfully to global health priorities, foster collaborative networks, and support the development of nurses and midwives prepared to lead, innovate and deliver excellence in patient care worldwide.”

Dr Tomas Zapata, WHO/Europe’s Health Workforce and Service Delivery Team Lead, commented, “We are proud to be partnering with the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery on this important new initiative and to build on the relationship we have developed through its Global Innovation and Leadership Academy and its designation as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Regulation and Continuing Professional Development earlier in the year.”

He added, “The technical advice the Collaborating Centre will provide to WHO will be invaluable in our support to countries and in developing stronger and more sustainable nursing and midwifery workforces, not just in Ireland but throughout the WHO European Region.”