Nursing and
Midwifery Council
(NMC)
Supporting the Governance team to reset, rebuild and work more effectively under pressure.
& COHESION
SAFETY
ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT
Midwifery
Council
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator for nurses, midwives and nursing associates in the UK, working to protect the public and maintain confidence in the professions.
A capable team under
sustained pressure.
The Governance team sits at the centre of some of the most visible and high-stakes work within the NMC. Supporting Council and the Executive Board brings sustained pressure, scrutiny and complexity, particularly during periods of leadership transition and heightened expectations around quality and assurance.
While the team is clearly made up of capable and committed individuals, ongoing pressure can erode confidence, trust and clarity over time.
Bringing the team together
through more resilient
ways of working.
The challenge was to create the space for the team to step out of the day-to-day pressure, speak honestly about what was happening and strengthen how they worked together. The aim was not to impose a solution, but to rebuild trust, clarify roles and expectations, and establish more effective and resilient ways of operating going forward.
team cohesion
clarity and alignment
honest conversation
ways of working
A facilitated reset,
built with the team.
We held a neutral, contained process where people could speak honestly, reflect together and generate their own solutions. The approach was dialogic, practical and non-diagnostic, with light tools and frameworks introduced where helpful.
This was not performance management.
It was facilitated dialogue,
designed to help a capable team think clearly together under pressure.
A structured programme
to create lasting change.
We delivered a time-bound programme tailored to the team’s needs, starting with discovery and a full-day reset session, followed by further facilitated sessions to embed new ways of working. The work focused on:
1. Honest picture & impact
What’s happening and why it matters
2. Roles, boundaries & expectations
Clarity, decision-making and partnering
3. Resilient ways of working
Agreements, routines and practical tools
Follow-up & consolidation
Sense-check progress and reinforce what’s working
A stronger, more coherent
and resilient team.
The team moved from firefighting into a more grounded, united and resilient way of working, with clearer roles, stronger communication and renewed confidence.
IMPROVED TEAM COHESION
Greater trust, openness
and alignment
CLEARER WAYS OF WORKING
Agreed roles, boundaries
and decision-making
INCREASED CONFIDENCE
In managing pressure
and uncertainty
PRACTICAL OUTPUTS
Team working agreement
and programme summary
Impact findings drawn from pre- and post-programme survey results, participant feedback and follow-up conversations with senior leaders.
From team reset to
directorate-wide support.
Building on this work, we are now in discussions around a potential trauma-informed programme for wider directorate teams, including front-facing and leadership colleagues. This would build on the learning from the Governance team and tailor the approach to different audiences across the organisation.
The Holistic Team created a space where we could be honest about what was really going on. It helped us understand each other better, rebuild trust and agree how we want to work together moving forward.