Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1992

The Central Council

1 Changes to constitution

(1) In the [1979 c. 36.] Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979 (“the 1979 Act”) in section 1 (constitution etc. of United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting) for subsections (2) to (7) there shall be substituted—

“(2) The Council shall consist of such number of members, not greater than 60, and a multiple of three, as is proposed and approved in accordance with section 2 of the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1992.

(3) Two-thirds of the members of the Council shall be appointed by the Secretary of State on being elected under the electoral scheme (“elected members”).

(4) Appointments otherwise than for the purposes of subsection (3) shall be made by the Secretary of State from among persons who—

(a) are registered nurses, midwives, health visitors or medical practitioners, or

(b) have such qualifications and experience in education or other fields as, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, will be of value to the Council in the performance of its functions.

(5) In making appointments for the purposes of subsection (4), the Secretary of State shall have especially in mind—

(a) the need to secure that the members of the Council include registered nurses, midwives and health visitors and persons living or working in each part of the United Kingdom, and

(b) the need to secure that qualifications and experience in the teaching of nursing, midwifery and health visiting are adequately represented on the Council.

(6) The Council shall have a president and a vice-president appointed by the Council from among its members.

(7) Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the constitution and administration etc. of the Council.

(8) For the purposes of subsection (3), a person appointed as a replacement for an elected member shall be treated as an elected member.”

(2) For Schedule 1 to that Act there shall be substituted the Schedule set out in Schedule 1 to this Act.

2 Section 1: preparatory

(1) Before the end of the period of six months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed, the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (“the Council”) shall submit to the Secretary of State for his approval—

(a) a proposal with respect to the number of members of which the Council is to consist after the coming into force of section 1 above, and

(b) a scheme for the election of persons to be appointed to the Council.

(2) A scheme under subsection (1)(b) above shall include provision determining the professional, residential or other qualifications which a person must have to be eligible to vote or to be elected in an election held under the scheme.

(3) The provision to be included in pursuance of subsection (2) above with respect to the qualifications which a person must have to be eligible to be elected in an election held under the scheme shall be such as to exclude from eligibility anyone who is not a registered nurse, midwife or health visitor living or working in the United Kingdom.

(4) If the Secretary of State approves a proposal submitted to him under subsection (1)(a) above he shall signify his approval by order.

(5) If the Secretary of State approves a scheme submitted to him under subsection (1)(b) above he shall give effect to it by order.

(6) Orders under this section shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

3 Constitution of standing committees

In section 3(3) of the 1979 Act (power of Secretary of State to constitute standing committees)—

(a) at the beginning there shall be inserted “If the Council (having regard to the duty imposed by section 2(6)) requests him to do so,”, and

(b) the words from “including” to the end shall be omitted.