New Watchdog Chief Issues Public Apology
The newly appointed chief of the UK's nursing regulator has issued a stark public apology, admitting the organisation got things "completely wrong" in high-profile cases, including that of killer nurse Lucy Letby. Paul Rees, the new leader of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), conceded the watchdog's failures endangered the public.
Systemic Failures in High-Profile Cases
Rees acknowledged that the NMC should have suspended Lucy Letby, later convicted of murdering babies, much earlier than it did. He also admitted the regulator failed to act promptly in the case of psychiatric nurse John Iwuh, who was later jailed for rape. The NMC allowed Iwuh to continue working with patients for a full year after police had begun their investigation.
Furthermore, Rees confirmed the NMC had mishandled sexual misconduct cases by routinely failing to investigate incidents that occurred outside of a nurse's professional workplace. These admissions follow a damning independent inquiry, known as the Rise review, which concluded the NMC had a "dysfunctional" and "toxic" culture that put public safety at risk.
A Long Road to Reform
While stating that the NMC is now undergoing significant leadership changes and working to improve its case handling times, Rees delivered a sobering message. He warned that a full turnaround for the scandal-hit regulator would not happen overnight and is likely to take several years to complete. The apology, made on Saturday 08 November 2025, marks a pivotal moment for the organisation as it attempts to rebuild public trust.
