The Nursing Council is formerly known as the Nursing Board. The Nursing Board was named when the Nurses Registration Ordinance was first enacted in 1931. The Nurses Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 1997 was introduced to re-name the Nursing Board as Nursing Council and to broaden its representation to encourage greater involvement of the profession in its own affairs. The Nursing Council came into being on 3 May 1999.
To fulfil the statutory obligations as stipulated in the Nurses Registration Ordinance and to ensure the quality of nursing practice in Hong Kong meeting the rapidly changing health care needs of the society through the establishment of a registration system, provision of guidance and intervention with discipline.