PART IITraining of Nurses

21Research and experimental training of nurses

(1)It shall be the duty of a regional nurse-training committee to promote, with a view to securing the improvement of methods of training nurses, research and investigation into matters relating to the training of nurses, and to render to the Council reports of the results of research and investigation promoted by the committee.

(2)If the Council are of opinion that it would be advantageous that a trial should be made of a scheme of training and examinations to be undergone and passed by persons as a condition of their admission to the register or, as the case may be, the roll, being training and examinations differing from, but appearing to the Council to be no less efficient than, the training and examinations for the time being required by rules made by the Council to be so undergone and passed, they may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, by resolution adopt the scheme for such period as may be specified in the resolution and in relation to such institutions situated in such area for which a regional nurse-training committee is constituted under this Act as may be so specified, being institutions appearing to the Council to be suitable for the purpose of carrying out the scheme therein.

(3)A scheme of training and examinations adopted by a resolution of the Council under this section shall provide that, during the period for which it is so adopted, persons who undergo to the satisfaction of the Council, in an institution or institutions specified in the resolution adopting the scheme, the training specified in the scheme and who pass the examinations so specified shall, notwithstanding anything in any rules made by the Council, be entitled on making an application in that behalf to be admitted to the register or, as the case may be, the roll, and may contain such incidental and supplementary provisions (including provisions for charging fees in respect of the undergoing of examinations specified in the scheme) as appear to the Council to be requisite or expedient for the purposes of the scheme.

(4)The period for which a scheme of training and examinations is adopted under this section may from time to time be extended by resolution of the Council for such period as may be specified in the resolution.