PROFESSIONAL SERVICES & CONSULTANCY
NMC apologises for ‘substantial failings’ and hearings backlog
The Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC) is not performing its duties at an acceptable level and is struggling to deal with a backlog of complaints, a review has shown.
The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) found that almost 4,500 cases are still awaiting a decision from the NMC, with a backlog of complaints against nurses and midwives that reaches back to 2005. The NMC is currently holding 15 hearings a day, and this will increase to 18 from September in an effort to clear the delays.
CHRE chief executive Harry Cayton said: “The public have been let down. It doesn’t mean nursing is unsafe – but the public, nurses and midwives
ought to feel confident in the regulator. They haven’t been able to. Significant delay in managing fitness to practise cases in itself introduces risks. The NMC is fulfilling its functions, but not to the standard or quality that the public have a right to expect.
“The regulator must finally leave its
troubled past behind. New leaders must be appointed who are competent, credible and capable of addressing its very serious organisational problems.”
The regulator’s interim chief executive, Jackie Smith, said: “The report highlights substantial failings. We recognise these and we are sorry. It is clear the NMC has not delivered effective and efficient regulation. We are committed to putting that right.”
70 | national health executive Jul/Aug 12
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