16/10/2012

Nurse Disciplinary Backlog 'Will Take Two Years To Clear'

The Nursing and Midwifery Council has said it will take ore than two years to clear the backlog of disciplinary cases for nurses and midwives.

Chief executive Jackie Smith told MPs on the health select committee the timescale was "unacceptably long", bit added she had to be realistic about what could be achieved.

The regulator is currently facing a backlog of 4,500 cases - 1,400 of which have yet to have an interim hearing.

The NMC is in charge of registering and regulating the 670,000 nurses and midwives in the UK and this is the latest in a number of problems they have being facing.

Earlier this year an independent report by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence said the NMC was failing at "every level" and was no longer fulfilling its prime duty of protecting patients.

As well as the backlog in cases, the report highlighted problems with staff turnover - one in three leaves each year - IT systems and governance in general.

The problems have prompted the health committee to launch their own investigation.

(H)

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