Charity Commission probes NMC following ‘toxic conduct’ claims

The Charity Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case after receiving information detailing ‘a number of serious concerns’ relating to the governance of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Related Article: Wes Streeting: ‘If you train to be a nurse or midwife there should be a job waiting for you’
The commission, which regulates the NMC in parallel with the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, said the case had been opened to ‘further assess this information and to determine our next steps alongside other bodies’.
It added: ‘In line with our guidance, the charity has submitted a serious incident report to us on this matter.’
The opening of the regulatory compliance case follows a report in The Independent online newspaper claiming that nurses and midwives accused of serious sexual, physical and racial abuse had been allowed to keep working on wards because whistleblowers were ‘being ignored’ by the NMC.
Related Article: New plan to ‘guarantee’ more jobs for newly qualified nurses
The report also claimed that ‘deep-seated toxic conduct’ within the NMC was leading to skewed and failed investigations.
The NMC responded to the report by reaffirming a commitment to developing a ‘safe and inclusive working environment’, and promised an ‘open and transparent’ response to the concerns.
Related Article: Consultation proposes widening physiotherapist prescribing powers
The NMC has been approached by Nursing in Practice for comment in light of the Charity Commission’s probe.

See how our symptom tool can help you make better sense of patient presentations
Click here to search a symptom
