Case conferences

We’ll hold a case conference in any case that is going to a hearing with the nurse, midwife or nursing associate; if they are represented, their representative may attend on their behalf or with them. A lawyer from the NMC will attend and the conference will be chaired by a listing officer. The case conference is to discuss the proposed hearing bundle and to resolve any legal difficulties or issues before the hearing. We will provide a copy of our hearing bundle and send an agenda of topics for discussion ahead of the call to the nurse, midwife or nursing associate and any representative.

The case conference will be arranged to take place approximately six weeks before the hearing. The case conference may cover the following areas:

• the content of the hearing bundle
• if any further disclosure is expected
• if any charges are admitted
• which witnesses are required
• if the nurse, midwife or nursing associate or any witnesses require support to give evidence or engage effectively in the hearing
• issues in dispute
• hearing length.

After the case conference, once a final version of the hearing bundle has been agreed with the representative, we’ll send it to the panel in advance of the hearing. Where the hearing bundle isn’t agreed, we’ll usually still send it to the panel before the hearing and the panel will consider the content of the bundle at the start of the hearing after listening to representations from the nurse, midwife or nursing associate or their representative and from the representative for the NMC. This has the benefit of reducing the time during the hearing that the panel needs to read the papers.

We understand that long hearings can be difficult for parties to attend. We aim to narrow down which issues are in dispute, limit which witnesses are required and have the panel read the papers in advance, so we can keep the length of the hearing to a minimum and avoid inconvenience to parties who are not required to attend.

If any issues cannot be resolved at the case conference, we may consider arranging a preliminary meeting to assist with the smooth running of a hearing.