Nurses with “complex needs” to benefit from NMC health pilot

The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) Health Pilot is “showing encouraging early signs” of delivering faster decisions and a more supportive experience for registrants whose physical or mental health needs may affect their ability to engage in the fitness to practise process. Launched in January 2025, the pilot introduced a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) of clinical and safeguarding advisers to identify registrants’ health needs earlier, ensuring that proportionate investigations are planned from the outset.

Since its launch, the MDT Case Clinic has reviewed more than 100 cases. Analysis indicates that, on average, cases reviewed by the Clinic are taking around eight months less to investigate than similar cases would typically require. One registrant’s representative highlighted the impact of earlier clinical insight, noting that the pilot had enabled the NMC to recognise the seriousness of members’ mental health conditions without needing external prompting, which made a meaningful difference to the registrant’s experience.

Cases reviewed by the pilot have involved registrants with a range of complex needs, including mental health conditions and long-term neurological conditions. The Clinic has supported these cases by coordinating with registrants’ treating clinicians, advising on the level of investigation required, and ensuring that requests for information are proportionate. It has also helped to plan how registrants are contacted and supported throughout the process, introducing tailored communication adjustments that prioritise wellbeing and make the fitness to practise process more compassionate.

The pilot is strengthening early case planning, improving the experience for people with complex health needs, and building confidence among registrants and those supporting them. Over the coming months, the NMC will continue to develop this model, building on feedback and sharing learning more widely with fitness to practise teams. Additional resources and training will be introduced to embed a more person-centred approach across the organisation.

Paul Johnson, Deputy Director of Professional Regulation, said:

“We know the Fitness to Practise process can be even more challenging to engage with for registrants with complex needs. We are addressing this through targeted work focused on making our processes more compassionate.

“It’s encouraging that early data from our Health Pilot has been positive. Continuing to better understand people’s needs will be key to making FtP a faster and more supportive experience, particularly at the investigation stage.

“We know there is a long way to go before this becomes the norm for everyone. We will keep listening and learning from those involved in our processes to make this a reality.”

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