The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has failed to demonstrate 'substantial and sustained improvement' following a scandal in which hundreds of fraudulent or underqualified nurses were approved to work in the UK, according to a recent audit by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
PSA Review Highlights Ongoing Failures
The PSA's 2024-25 review found that the NMC met only nine out of 18 regulatory standards, a decline from the previous year. Concerns persist over education standards, slow investigations, and lack of transparency. This comes after the PSA's 2023-24 review revealed the NMC wrongly approved over 350 fraudulent or underqualified nurses.
Previous Scandal Exposed
Earlier, the NMC admitted that 15 rogue nurses—who should have been struck off due to criminal convictions or health concerns—were allowed to work in the NHS for up to 12 years. This 'astounding failure' was uncovered after a whistleblower prompted a review of 18,060 applications over a 12-year period.
Call for Reform
The PSA has urged the NMC to address these systemic issues urgently. The regulator's inability to show sustained improvement raises serious questions about patient safety and public trust in the nursing profession.
