MNC response to Independent article accusing regulator of cover up

The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) have issued a statement in response to an article published by The Independent accusing the regulator of “covering up secret reports’ and stating that the NMC has ‘refused to publish the internal review highlighting new failures to protect the public.’

In its response, the NMC wrote:

For clarity, The Independent asked the NMC about two pieces of work referenced in recent Council papers:

• A safeguarding audit carried out by our Organisational Learning, Quality and Improvement team
• A review of cases undertaken by a specialist advisor in our Professional Practice team.

The NMC explained to The Independent that these were both internal pieces of work and therefore it hadn’t been our intention to publish them, but that they inform our reporting to Council.

We also explained that the audit referred to forms part of a wider piece of work which has not yet concluded. We told The Independent that we would consider what can be shared in line with our FOI obligations and that they would hear back from us on this.

This is portrayed in The Independent’s story as a ‘refusal’ to publish ‘secret reports’.

The Independent also asked the NMC to respond to a comment from Nazir Afzal OBE, which includes, “further scrutiny of progress against the recommendations is required in the absence of an oversight committee.”

The NMC provided the following response, which The Independent has not published:

“As well as our public reporting to Council, we report on progress against the recommendations and other commitments to an independent oversight group. This includes the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), Department of Health and Social Care, the Chief Nursing Officers and patient groups. We’ve attended four oversight group meetings so far and the next one is in January. Minutes are published on the PSA website.”

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