Strategic Plan: October 2012–September 2017

The council's vision is to contribute to public protection by ensuring the competence of nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants throughout their work life. The mission of the LNC is to fulfill its mandate as a statutory body for regulating nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants, contributing to the improvement of healthcare standards by regulating education and practice, and providing information, guidance, and advocacy. The LNC has identified five strategic directions for the period 2012-2017. The first direction is to be recognized as the statutory body with the authority and powers to implement the provisions of the revised Lesotho Nursing and Midwifery Council Act. To achieve this, the LNC will finalize the draft of the Act, monitor and advocate for its passage, and approve supporting Rules and Regulations (R & R) to expand on the law. The council will also establish a robust organizational structure and sufficient resources to fulfill its statutory mandate. The second strategic direction is to strengthen the LNC's governance, organization, planning, and advocacy roles. This will involve finalizing the draft of the Lesotho Nursing and Midwifery Council Act, monitoring and advocating for its passage, and approving R & R to expand on the law. The council will also develop and implement a council orientation program, which will include key elements and concepts of professional regulation, council work methods, responsibilities for advocacy and promotion, and pilot testing on new council members. The third strategic direction is to establish the LNC's identity in society and be recognized as the competent authority responsible for regulating nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants, as well as their practice and education. To achieve this, the LNC will engage in policy formulation, decision-making, and advocacy activities to promote the council. This will involve developing a Lesotho Nursing Council Handbook, which will include council powers, functions, and responsibilities, meetings, decision-making processes, and staff-council relations. The LNC has identified several priorities for the period 2012-2017, including enacting the revised Lesotho Nursing and Midwifery Council Act, approving supporting R & R, strengthening the governance and organizational capacity of the LNC, establishing scopes of practice and standards of practice, and establishing and implementing nursing and midwifery education standards. The LNC has also identified several risks and assumptions for the period 2012-2017. The risks include insufficient resources, uncertain and poorly sustained council leadership, loss of support from partners/development agencies, and loss of independence of the LNC. The assumptions include the enactment of the revised Lesotho Nursing and Midwifery Council Act, strengthened linkages and collaboration with the Nursing Directorate at the Ministry of Health, nursing and midwifery associations, nursing and midwifery education institutions, and the faith-based and private sectors, and political commitment to delegated professional self-regulation. The LNC has developed a detailed plan to achieve its strategic directions, which includes specific activities, responsible personnel, resources, timelines, and key outcomes. The plan is designed to ensure that the LNC is well-positioned to fulfill its statutory mandate and contribute to the improvement of healthcare standards in Lesotho.