RCN factsheet on nurse prescribing in the UK

Updated December 2014.

Over the years, the RCN’s Policy and International Department has received a lot of interest from national nurses’ associations to find out more about nurse prescribing in the UK and the evidence to support it. This fact sheet discusses statistics, education, training and regulation, and evidence of improvements in access, patient safety and patient-centred care that continue to strengthen the foundations underpinning the success of this practice. 

Nurse prescribing in the UK is well established as a mainstream qualification with over 54,000 nurse and midwife prescribers across the UK, and over 19,000 nurse independent and supplementary prescribers. Evidence of improvements in access, patient safety and patient-centred care continue to strengthen the foundations underpinning the success of this practice.

For further information, please email papa.ukintl.dept@rcn.org.uk