NMC responds to Health Committee’s report on complaints and raising concerns

In response to the House of Commons Health Select Committee’s report, Complaints and raising concerns, NMC Chief Executive and Registrar, Jackie Smith, said: 

“We welcome the House of Commons Health Committee’s report, Complaints and raising concerns, which clearly sets out that patients deserve to have their concerns and complaints treated seriously. It notes that the role of professional regulators in holding health professionals to account for failings which may have had significant effect on patents is an important part of protecting patients.

“We also know it is important that, when someone raises a complaint with us about a nurse or midwife, their complaint is dealt with swiftly and efficiently. We have made huge progress at speeding up the time it takes us to deal with complaints, having recently hit a major milestone. We want to be able to do more, but we must have changes to our legislation in order to get better.” 

“We are pleased that the report recognises the work we have done to provide more support to members of the public who complain to us about a nurse or a midwife. We are proud to have made progress in improving the way we interact with witnesses. 

“It is important that the professional regulators, system regulators and the wider complaints system work well together. We have a role to play in sharing information with other organisations which are responsible for safety and quality in health and care. We have strengthened our working arrangements with other organisations to this end. 

“When the revised Code is published at the end of this month, it will emphasise the duty of nurses and midwives to raise concerns in the interest of their patients. It also makes clear that nurses and midwives must not prevent their colleagues or members of the public from raising concerns. We remind nurses and midwives that they should act without delay if they believe there is a risk to patient safety or public protection.”

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Notes for editors

1.   The Nursing and Midwifery Council exists to protect the public. We do this by ensuring that only those who meet our requirements are allowed to practise as a nurse or midwife in the UK. We take action if concerns are raised about whether a nurse or midwife is fit to practise.

2.   For media enquiries, please contact Hannah Schraer, Media Team at hannah.schraer@nmc-uk.org or on 020 7333 9333.