NMC’s Safeguarding Hub reviews thousands of fitness to practise referrals in first year

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has marked the one-year anniversary of its Safeguarding Hub, a specialist unit designed to identify and escalate fitness to practise concerns involving safeguarding risks.

Since its launch in September 2024, the hub has reviewed over 5,000 referrals, identifying more than 1,200 cases with potential safeguarding implications.

The hub ensures that every new referral is assessed by professionals with safeguarding expertise, enabling early intervention and appropriate regulatory action. In several cases, the hub’s input led to the imposition of interim orders to restrict practice while investigations proceeded.

Donna O’Boyle, Acting Executive Director of Professional Regulation, said the hub has significantly improved the NMC’s ability to protect the public. “Safeguarding is central to fitness to practise. By embedding specialist review at the earliest stage, we’re ensuring that risks are identified and managed swiftly.”

The NMC plans to expand the hub’s remit to include complex safeguarding cases and cross-sector collaboration. The regulator is also developing training resources to help employers and registrants understand how safeguarding concerns intersect with professional standards and regulatory thresholds.

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