Additional information on female genital mutilation cases

Nurses, midwives and nursing associates must report female genital mutilation cases

Nurses, midwives and nursing associates must at all times keep to the principles contained within the Code. The Code states that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must take all reasonable steps to protect people who are vulnerable or at risk from harm, neglect or abuse. They must also have knowledge of and keep to the relevant laws and policies about protecting and caring for vulnerable people.

A new mandatory reporting duty to report female genital mutilation (FGM) cases to the police has come into effect on 31 October 2015. The new duty applies where a nurse, midwife or nursing associate, in the course of their work, either:

• is informed directly by the girl that an act of FGM has been carried out on her, or
• observes physical signs which appear to show an act of FGM has been carried out and has no reason to believe that the act was necessary for the girl’s physical or mental health or for purposes connected with labour or birth.

The new duty applies only to girls under 18 at the time of disclosure or visual identification of FGM. It applies only in England and Wales.

Nurses, midwives and nursing associates should familiarise themselves with the government’s guidance on the new duty. A range of additional resources to support health professionals comply with the new duty are available from the Government’s website. Failure to comply with the duty may result in an investigation of the nurse, midwife, or nursing associate’s fitness to practise.

The new duty is limited to the specific circumstances described above. However in complying with the Code, nurses, midwives and nursing associates should continue to have regard to their wider safeguarding responsibilities, whether in relation to FGM or any other forms of abuse.