Article

National nursing and midwifery job profile review

Details of the NHS Staff Council's Job Evaluation Group (JEG) review of the national job evaluation matching profiles for nursing and midwifery.

3 June 2025

Following a request made by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwifes (RCM) to the NHS Staff Council, the NHS Job Evaluation Group undertook a review of the national job matching profiles for nursing and midwifery (band 4 and above). The purpose of this review was to ensure that the profiles accurately reflected current nursing and midwifery practice, training, and role development. 

Update June 2025: updated national job matching profiles for nursing and midwifery

Following the NHS Staff Council's approval of the revised national job matching profiles for nursing and midwifery, the Job Evaluation Group (JEG) has today published the updated profiles for bands 4 and above.

To accompany the updated profiles, JEG have put together guidance for panelists to support their understanding and use of the updated profiles and a comparison document for organisations to track the evolution of the update.

The NHS Staff Council has also issued guidance to accompany the updated profiles which sets out its expectations for organisations on their local job evaluation practices.

Previous updates and webinar recordings

Update April 2025: the NHS Staff Council update on nursing and midwifery profiles review
The job evaluation group (JEG) are concluding on their work to update the job evaluation matching profiles for nursing and midwifery- bands 4 to 9 - based on the feedback received to its consultations (see below for more details).
JEG are working with the NHS Staff Council executive to prepare for publication of the revised profiles suite and its accompanying technical guidance within the week commencing 2 June 2025.
The NHS Staff Council have released an update on the national profiles for nursing and midwifery, urging employers to work in partnership in preparation for the expected publication of the profiles. They will be publishing further guidance in the coming weeks on local partnerships action plans to build job evaluation capacity and use of the updated profiles.
Update October 2024: Revised profile consultation bands 7 to 9
Between 14 October and 12 January 2025, the Job Evaluation Group (JEG) consulted on proposed revisions to the job evaluation matching profiles for nursing and midwifery - bands 7 and above.
JEG invited detailed responses and additional evidence that will be used to confirm or further amend the draft profiles before publication.
View the draft profiles:
We have also produced a document that compares the existing profiles with the proposed drafts.
Whilst this consultation was ongoing, JEG reviewed the feedback received to its consultation on bands 4, 5 and 6, and continues working with the NHS Staff Council executive to prepare for publication of the revised profiles suites in 2025.
Revised profile consultation - April 2024
Between 29 April and 30 June 2024, the Job Evaluation Group (JEG) consulted on proposed revisions to the job evaluation matching profile for nursing and midwifery - bands 4, 5 and 6.
JEG invited detailed responses and additional evidence that will be used to confirm or further amend the draft profiles before publication.
View the draft profiles:
We also produced a document that compares the existing profiles with the proposed drafts.
Nursing and midwifery profile review launch webinar - September 2023
A supporting webinar was successfully held on 7 September 2023 by NHS Employers and the NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group to explain how and why these profiles are being reviewed. It also explained how employers could contribute to the evidence gathering stage of the review that ran until May 2023.

Nursing and midwifery national job profile review - evidence report - May 2023
This report is the output from the evidence gathering stage of the review project.
Please note: Download a PDF version of the report.
Watch a summary of the report
Outcome of the evidence gathering survey: evidence report - May 2022
Following its evidence review, the NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group have published an interim update report on national job profiles (band 4 and above) for nursing and midwifery.
The evidence received showed that the majority of employers and stakeholders can use the profiles, for the most part, but that improvements to them are necessary to assist matching panels in using them effectively.
Of greater concern was evidence received indicating that job descriptions – and therefore potentially also banding outcomes – are not regularly reviewed and have not been kept up-to-date despite changes to responsibilities and job requirements.
To view the evidence report and a webinar recording outlining its finding, please click here.
JEG is now undertaking further work to review the language and terminology of the existing profiles, updating it where necessary, including a review of the profile labels and job statements to ensure they reflect current clinical practice and deployment. In doing this work, JEG’s aim is to show clearly the differentiation between the bands and provide greater narrative examples of the factor levels (the ‘non-bold’).
This work is being undertaken in partnership by JEG members according to its usual profile review process and conventions.
Drafts of revised profiles will come to the NHS Staff Council for comment and consultation in the usual way.
The review is ongoing and is expected to move to consultation on the first set of draft profiles later this Spring.
Employers are advised to take the following action in anticipation of the review outcome – May 2022
- Secure board engagement and conduct an organisational risk assessment (Learn from experience of HCSW band 2 and 3)
- Consider your deployment model and whether job descriptions are accurate and comprehensive (ensuring understanding of the difference between professional development of staff and job evaluation of posts)
- Consider your JE operation by using the JEG Self-Assessment Checklist
- Build internal JE capacity – consider training more panellists.

National nursing and midwifery job profile review

Previous updates and webinar recordings

Update April 2025: the NHS Staff Council update on nursing and midwifery profiles review

Update October 2024: Revised profile consultation bands 7 to 9

Revised profile consultation - April 2024

Nursing and midwifery profile review launch webinar - September 2023

Nursing and midwifery national job profile review - evidence report - May 2023

Watch a summary of the report

Outcome of the evidence gathering survey: evidence report - May 2022

Employers are advised to take the following action in anticipation of the review outcome – May 2022

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