Regulatory Failing Leaves Nurses and Midwives Unchecked
More than a dozen nurses and midwives who should have been barred from treating patients continued to work for over a decade due to a failure by the regulatory body to properly assess their cases. This issue has raised serious concerns about patient safety and the integrity of the nursing profession.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has issued an apology for the mistake, calling it “completely and utterly unacceptable.” The NMC is responsible for maintaining a register of more than 860,000 healthcare professionals who are eligible to practice. As part of this process, nurses and midwives must declare any health or character issues that could affect their ability to provide safe care. These declarations are then reviewed by an assistant registrar to determine if the individual is fit to continue working.
However, it was revealed in February that applications containing such declarations were not consistently referred to an assistant registrar over a 12-year period. As a result, up to 15 nurses or midwives who should have been removed from the register were allowed to keep practicing. The NMC now expects these individuals to be removed following a review.
The nursing union has criticized the NMC’s response, stating that a “vague apology will not suffice.” They have called for an independent investigation into the matter. Professor Lynn Woolsey, chief nursing officer of the Royal College of Nursing, emphasized the potential danger of the situation, saying: “It is a potentially dangerous regulatory failing that individuals made appropriate declarations regarding criminal convictions and/or health conditions over such a long period of time without appropriate checks to determine their fitness to practise.”
Since February, when a staff member raised concerns about the issue, a team of paralegals has been reviewing more than 18,000 applications from the affected period. The NMC is now contacting more than 400 nurses and midwives to gather additional information to support the review conducted by an assistant registrar.
Paul Rees, the NMC’s chief executive and registrar, expressed his regret over the situation, stating: “I would like to apologise for the fact that for a period of 12 years, we failed to ensure that all health and character declarations were assessed in line with our full process. This is completely and utterly unacceptable.”
He also mentioned that the NMC has faced significant challenges over recent years, which culminated in the publication of the Independent Culture Review in July 2024. This report highlighted several issues within the organization, including bullying, harassment, racism, and systemic failures.
The incident has sparked widespread concern among healthcare professionals and the public alike. Many are questioning how such a critical oversight could occur and what steps will be taken to prevent similar issues in the future. The NMC has pledged to take corrective action, but the true test will be in the implementation of these changes and the restoration of trust in the regulatory system.
