Nurses and Midwives

Our services for Nurses and Midwives

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is responsible for the registration, standards of performance and  continuing education for nurses midwives and health visitors in the UK.

Compulsory registration is essential to ensure standards are maintained and standards in patient and public safety is protected.

We can assist if you are having difficulties in respect of your registration or if you are subject to any conditions or threat of suspension or erasure.

Contact us when a disciplinary process may have been started by your employer/ NHS Trust. Increasingly referrals are made to the NMC as soon as a complaint has been raised and intervention on your behalf to provide a professional barrier between you and those investigating you is recommended.

Fitness to Practise

The NMC investigate complaints whether they emanate from a patient or a relative or a member of the public or from a colleague or manager at your place of work. Investigations by a caseworker at the NMC can and often do  run at the same time as a Trust Disciplinary investigation/proceeding.

The Investigation Committee and the Conduct and Competence Committee determine issues of misconduct and fitness to practise and it is important that you cooperate at the earliest opportunity. We can assist in drafting a formal written response to the allegations and by advising and assisting you in connection with each part of the investigation, especially where you may be required to submit to an assessment by a medical assessor. We can also help by representing you at the Conduct and Competence Committee stage if your case proceeds that far or at Review hearings when you have been suspended or been made subject to a regime of conditions.

There are a wide range of sanctions available to the Conduct and Competence Committee and you may wish to refer to the NMC website for examples of case outcomes, findings and decisions and further information.

Interim Orders (IOP)

It may be that an immediate order of suspension is considered necessary to protect yourself, patients or public safety. If this is imposed your ability to work as a registered nurse is prohibited. The process can be very long-running once the procedures are invoked.

Appeals

If you wish to appeal against a decision of the Conduct and Competence Committee you usually have 28 days to apply to the High Court from the date on which notification of the decision was served. The decision will not take effect until the 28 day period has elapsed or the appeal is heard. The only variation from this is where the Committee considers an immediate order of suspension is required for the protection of patient or public safety or that of the practitioner.

Restoration to the Register

We can assist you in making an application for this. The key is to demonstrate how you have conducted yourself during the time you have been unable to practise and to produce evidence of how you have kept your knowledge and skills up to date. Such applications to be restored are dealt with by way of a hearing before the Conduct and Competence Committee and you should seek expert advice and assistance.

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