Maternity and Care of the Newborn National Occupational Standards
National Occupational Standards
Review 2026–2027
Skills for Health has been commissioned by the UK NOS Governance Group to review the Maternity and Care of the Newborn National Occupational Standards (NOS) during 2026–2027.
The review will ensure that the NOS continue to reflect current practice and the skills, knowledge and understanding required by those working in maternity and newborn care.
What are National Occupational Standards?
Skills for Health champions workforce learning and development based on competences and National Occupational Standards. As a sector skills body, we develop and maintain NOS for healthcare occupations.
NOS are statements of competence that describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to carry out a particular task or role to a nationally recognised level.
They set out what an individual needs to be able to do, as well as what they need to know and understand, to work effectively. Each NOS includes agreed performance criteria and knowledge and understanding that must be demonstrated for an individual to be considered competent.
NOS describe the minimum standard to which an individual is expected to work in a given area of practice.
Why are the Maternity and Care of the Newborn NOS being reviewed?
Maternity and newborn care remains a major priority across the UK, with national strategies and plans placing significant emphasis on delivering safe, equitable and high-quality care for women, babies and families.
It is therefore important that the Maternity and Care of the Newborn NOS are reviewed to ensure they reflect current standards of practice.
National Occupational Standards can support:
Workforce design, management, succession planning and quality improvement
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Performance management, productivity and the identification of skills gaps
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Recruitment, selection and induction
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Personal, career and team development
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The design of training and education, assessment and accreditation.
How will the review be carried out?
The project will be supported by a UK-wide Steering Group, bringing together sector expertise to provide advice, guidance and oversight throughout the review.
Stakeholder input will be an important part of the project. Skills for Health will also conduct a public consultation in late 2026, giving stakeholders across the UK an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed NOS before they are finalised.
How can I get involved?
We want the revised NOS to reflect current maternity and newborn care practice and the needs of the workforce. Input from people with relevant knowledge and experience will be an important part of the review.
There are two ways to get involved:
- Join the Steering Group: If you have relevant expertise in maternity or newborn care and would like to contribute to the review as a member of the UK-wide Steering Group, we would like to hear from you.
- Take part in the public consultation: You can also register your interest in participating in the public consultation, which is planned for late 2026.
Your input will help ensure that the revised NOS reflect current practice and the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to support high-quality maternity and newborn care.
