If by “NMC” you mean the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council, you can use the blank feedback form below to record practice-related feedback for a revalidation portfolio. It is a generic template, not an official NMC form: the NMC does not prescribe one required layout, so check any additional requirements set by your employer or education provider.
What “NMC feedback form” usually means
In this context, an NMC feedback form is a way to capture comments about a nurse’s or midwife’s professional practice. Feedback may come from people who use services, colleagues, or others who have observed relevant work. A form can help make comments clear and useful, but it does not turn an opinion into proof of competence or replace professional reflection.
The phrase can also mean a form used by a university, placement provider, or workplace for a local purpose. Those forms may ask for different information. The template here is aimed at an individual collecting practice-related feedback for UK NMC revalidation. If you mean a different organisation called NMC, its process and form requirements may not apply.
How feedback fits into NMC revalidation
NMC revalidation includes a requirement to obtain five pieces of practice-related feedback during the relevant three-year period. The feedback is considered alongside other revalidation requirements, including practice hours, continuing professional development, reflective accounts, and confirmation. These are separate requirements: completing this form does not by itself complete revalidation or count as a reflective account.
The NMC allows feedback to take different forms, and it does not require every piece to use a particular template. A written form can make a record easier to understand later, but feedback could also be collected through another suitable method. Keep the record in your portfolio and follow the NMC’s current instructions and your organisation’s policies. In general, the portfolio is retained as evidence rather than routinely submitted in full with an application.
Feedback is most helpful when it relates to actual practice and gives enough context to understand what was observed. It does not have to be praise. Constructive feedback, questions, or suggestions can help identify learning needs, provided the comments are fair, relevant, and recorded with appropriate care.
What a useful feedback record includes
A practical form makes it easy for someone to offer specific comments without asking them to write an essay. It should identify the broad context, describe an observed action or interaction, and invite the respondent to explain what went well or what might be improved. It should avoid collecting unnecessary personal or confidential details.
Useful prompts can ask the respondent to describe a particular interaction, communication, decision-making process, or contribution to a team. A comment such as “good communication” is difficult to reflect on without examples. “Explained the next steps in plain language and checked that I understood” gives a clearer account of what the person noticed.
Try to keep the form neutral. Avoid questions that steer the respondent toward a positive answer, such as “How excellent was the care?” A balanced prompt such as “What was helpful, and what could have been done differently?” invites a more credible response and makes the record more useful for learning.
NMC Feedback Form Template
| Field | Response |
|---|---|
| Date feedback was given | |
| Feedback relates to (general practice context) | |
| Respondent’s role or relationship to the practice | |
| What did you observe? | |
| What was done well or helpful? | |
| What could be improved or approached differently? | |
| What effect did the practice have? | |
| Any further comments or learning points | |
| Respondent’s name or agreed identifier, if appropriate | |
| Permission to use this feedback in an anonymised professional portfolio (as applicable) |
How to use the template
Adapt the prompts to the setting, but keep the purpose clear: to record relevant observations that can support professional learning and reflection. A simple process helps both the person requesting feedback and the person providing it:
- Choose a suitable respondent. Ask someone who has a genuine basis for commenting on the practice. Depending on the context, this may be a colleague, service user, carer, or another person familiar with the work.
- Explain the purpose. Say that the feedback is being collected for professional reflection and explain how it may be used. Do not imply that a respondent must take part or provide a favourable comment.
- Request a specific example. Invite the person to describe what they noticed, rather than asking for a general rating alone. A concrete example is easier to reflect on and less likely to be misunderstood.
- Check the record. Make sure the date and context are clear, the wording is understandable, and the form does not include unnecessary identifying or confidential information.
- Reflect on the feedback separately. Consider what you learned, whether it suggests a change or development need, and how you might apply that learning. Keep any reflective account distinct from the original feedback record.
Ask for feedback in a way that suits the person and setting. A brief conversation may be more accessible than a long form, while a written form can help preserve the respondent’s wording. If you record verbal feedback, make it clear that it is your written summary and avoid presenting it as a verbatim quotation unless it is one.
Privacy, consent, and record keeping
Feedback can involve sensitive information, especially when it refers to care, a service user, or a particular workplace incident. Record only what is needed to understand the professional learning point. Remove names and other details that could identify a person when they are not necessary, and do not copy confidential clinical or employment records into a personal portfolio.
Follow your employer’s confidentiality, information-handling, and record-retention policies. A feedback form is not a substitute for a formal incident report, complaint process, or clinical record. If the feedback raises an immediate safety concern or a matter that must be escalated under workplace procedures, use the appropriate process rather than relying on the portfolio form.
Be transparent about who will see the form and how it will be stored. Whether a respondent’s name is required can depend on the circumstances and local policy; the form allows an identifier where appropriate rather than requiring personal details in every case. Do not promise anonymity if you cannot guarantee it.
Fictional completed sample
Sample only — the people and situation below are fictional. A colleague provides feedback after a simulated handover exercise. The practice context is “team handover, training session, 14 May.” The colleague writes: “You summarised the immediate priorities clearly and invited questions. I noticed that the follow-up task owner was not stated at first, so the team checked it before the session ended.” The nurse’s learning note might say: “I will name an owner and timeframe when assigning follow-up work, then confirm that the team has heard the plan.”
This example records an observable strength and a specific improvement point without adding a service user’s name or confidential case details. The reflection belongs in the appropriate reflective record; the feedback itself remains the respondent’s comment. In a real portfolio, record dates and context accurately and do not copy this fictional example as if it were genuine evidence.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the template as official. It is a practical blank form, not an NMC-issued document or a guarantee that every local process will accept it.
- Collecting only praise. A collection of generic compliments may offer little to reflect on. Balanced, specific observations are more useful than a forced positive rating.
- Confusing feedback with reflection. The respondent’s feedback and your account of what you learned are related, but they are not the same record.
- Including too much personal information. Avoid patient or service-user identifiers and unnecessary details about colleagues or incidents.
- Assuming a completed form proves compliance. Revalidation has several requirements. Keep this form as one possible record and check the current NMC guidance for the full process.
Other ways to collect practice-related feedback
A printed form is not the only option. You might use a structured conversation, a written note from a colleague, feedback gathered through a suitable service process, or another method allowed by local policy. Whatever the method, record enough information to make the feedback understandable later, and handle it in line with confidentiality requirements.
Choose a method that is accessible to the respondent and proportionate to the situation. For example, a short prompt sheet may work better than a full-page questionnaire for a brief interaction, while a colleague reflecting on a complex piece of work may need more room to explain their observations. Keep a consistent record of what was received and when, without assuming that one method suits every person or practice setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the NMC provide an official feedback form?
The NMC requires practice-related feedback for revalidation but does not prescribe one universal form layout. Use a suitable record, and check current NMC guidance and any relevant workplace requirements.
How many pieces of feedback are needed for NMC revalidation?
The revalidation requirements include five pieces of practice-related feedback in the relevant three-year period. Check the NMC’s current revalidation guidance for the full requirements and how to record your evidence.
Does every feedback comment have to be positive?
No. Feedback can include constructive observations or suggestions. It should be relevant, fair, and useful for reflection rather than selected only because it is complimentary.
Can feedback be anonymous?
That depends on the method, context, and applicable policies. Avoid promising anonymity unless it can genuinely be maintained, and do not include identifying details that are not needed.
Do I send the completed form to the NMC?
Normally, you keep supporting evidence in your revalidation portfolio and complete the application process as instructed, rather than routinely sending every record. Follow the current NMC application guidance in case instructions change or further evidence is requested.
Can a reflective account replace this feedback form?
No. A reflective account is your own reflection on practice, while feedback records another person’s observations. They may inform one another, but they serve different purposes in the revalidation portfolio.