How we regulate
A nurse, midwife or nursing associate must have the skills, knowledge, health and character to do their job safely and effectively. We call this being fit to practise, and it's our role as a regulator to make sure that a nurse, midwife or nursing associate's meets our standards.
Our expectations are set out in the Code, which describes the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must meet to be registered with us to practise in the UK.
As a regulator, our role isn't to punish people for things that have happened, but to make sure that nurses, midwives and nursing associates meet the standards they need to practise safely.
If you feel that a nurse, midwife or nursing associate isn't meeting our standards, you can raise a concern with us. However, we'd usually suggest raising your concern with their employer first.
The types of concerns we can investigate
Our legal powers allow us to investigate two kinds of concerns:
- Concerns around fraudulent or incorrect entry onto our register
- Concerns about the fitness to practise of a nurse, midwife or nursing associate
Concerns that are about a professional's fitness to practise can be based on the following:
- Misconduct
- Lack of competence
- Criminal convictions and cautions
- Health
- Not having the necessary English language skills
- A decision from another regulator
Related pages
- Concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic
- Who we are and how we can help
- How we regulate and the types of concerns we look into
- Who you should raise a concern with
- What happens when we receive your concern
- Investigating your concern
- Examining cases
- Meetings and hearings
- How we reach an outcome and what to expect after a hearing
- Supporting you during our fitness to practise process
- Jargon buster
