Nurse fitness to practise referrals surge after Letby conviction
Posted 20 November 2023 - 08:04
Nurses with FtP processes pending face continued delays as NMC reports jump in referrals, adding to pressures of already chronic backlog of cases
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has seen a surge in referrals and enquiries in the aftermath of the conviction of nurse Lucy Letby, as fitness to practise (FtP) cases hit a record high.
The regulator’s caseload now stands at 5,500.
Surge in fitness to practise referrals
Council papers published ahead of an NMC meeting on 22 November reveal that the regulator will again miss its target to cut the backlog of FtP cases for a fourth year in a row, receiving 578 new referrals in September. This is the highest monthly number in the past five years and 34% higher than expected. Letby was sentenced to life in prison in August for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six more.
The NMC’s own regulator, the Professional Standards Authority, said the organisation had fallen short of the standard expected for dealing with cases in a timely manner.
Speaking at RCNi’s Nursing Live event on 11 November, NMC chief executive Andrea Sutcliffe said one possible 'impact of the Letby verdict' had been an increase in referrals in September, a link also made in NMC Council papers. The regulator also saw a surge of general inquiries in September, with ‘half of the enquiries received relating to the Lucy Letby case’, council papers state.
The papers state progress had been slowed by factors including the Letby trial and its outcome, along with a fraud investigation into the computer-based test (CBT) competence programme at a nursing test centre in Nigeria. It also said the surge in referrals was putting significant pressure on the screening team.
The council papers said: ‘We no longer think we will reach our target of 4,000 cases by the end of this financial year due to a range of issues that we are proactively addressing. But we remain committed to reducing the volume of our caseload, and we will continue to resolve cases as swiftly and safely as possible.
‘Progress has been slowed by an increase in external demand on employer link service (ELS) support following the CBT challenge and the Lucy Letby trial and outcome.’
- RELATED: Lucy Letby given whole-life sentence
Barrister-led inquiry follow claims of a culture of fear at the NMC
An inquiry led by employment barrister Ijeoma Omambala KC is examining organisational issues at the NMC. It was prompted by claims recently reported by the Independent news site that teams were working in a culture of fear.
The NMC council report stated: ‘It has been apparent for some time now that our teams are under pressure and issues around workload have been coming through in our staff surveys, especially strongly this year.
‘We have not been passive and through our improvement work we have made changes to process, improved management support in key areas and have reduced the caseload in several areas of the business. However, it is clear there is more for us to do and the pressure of workload is keenly felt by people in all teams and at all levels.’
Ms Sutcliffe said: ‘Our number one priority is protecting the public by reaching the right decisions in fitness to practise (cases) as swiftly and safely as possible. Our high caseload affects our ability to do this. In September we received the largest number of monthly referrals in five years.
‘Going forward, our plans will account for the greater number of new concerns being raised with us each month. We’re continuing to invest in ensuring we have the right number of people with the right skills in the right roles, and we’re improving the operational efficiency of our case work throughout the process from initial assessment to adjudication.’
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