By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
A damning report has revealed shocking levels of bullying, racism, and incompetence within the Nursing and Midwifery Council , the body tasked with ensuring the safety of NHS nurses and midwives in the UK. The independent review highlights a dangerously toxic culture within the NMC, which regulates hundreds of thousands of nurses and midwives.
The report indicates that good nurses face prolonged investigations over minor issues, while some incompetent ones evade sanctions. Additionally, many NMC staff members experience stress, frustration, and a lack of support.
In response, the NMC issued a statement expressing profound regret and fully accepting the urgent recommendations for change. The review was commissioned after a whistleblower alleged the NMC's failure to address serious sexual, physical, and racial abuse. The investigation, led by former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal and Rise Associates, corroborated all whistleblower allegations, with over 1,000 current and former NMC employees and more than 200 panel members reporting similar experiences.
The review uncovered dysfunction at nearly every level of the NMC, with instances of staff suffering from severe stress, including taking antidepressants, losing hair, and having trouble sleeping due to bullying and poor management. While some staff were content, far too many were struggling, the report says, describing them as "angry, frustrated, and exhausted." The report recounts instances of staff breaking down in tears over safeguarding decisions that jeopardized public safety.
The organization faces a massive backlog of nearly 6,000 fitness to practice cases, leading to years long waits for decisions by nurses, patients, and families. In the past year, six nurses under NMC investigation have committed suicide. The review also noted that some cases were dismissed because incidents occurred outside the workplace, with one NMC lawyer suggesting that racism cases were dropped at screening because, outside of the workplace, "people are free to be racist in their own time" as long as patients are not involved.
Sir David Warren, NMC Chair, described the report as profoundly distressing. He expressed condolences to the families and friends of those who died by suicide while under investigation and assured that the NMC's safeguarding lead is urgently reviewing those cases. He also apologized for the distressing experiences of NMC colleagues who faced racism, discrimination, or bullying, committing to making these issues central to the NMC's reforms.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson emphasized the importance of protecting whistleblowers, ensuring they are supported, and their concerns addressed. The spokesperson called for swift and robust action from the NMC's council in response to the review's recommendations.
