NMC responds to Orchid View: one year on report

We welcome the Orchid View: one year on initial response report and the ongoing engagement on the progress made since last year’s serious case review. 

In the interest of public protection we have completed a number of fitness to practise cases concerning individuals involved in the incidents at Orchid View, and we have further open cases and ongoing investigations. We have suspended a number of individuals from working in the interim while their hearings are underway. 

Our Code, which contains the professional standards of practice and behaviour for all nurses and midwives, makes clear the duty to preserve dignity and to act as advocates for vulnerable patients. We take breaches of these standards very seriously. Earlier this year, we sent our revised Code to every nurse and midwife in the UK, as well as producing resources for employers so that they can play their part in ensuring nurses and midwives are supported to do the right thing by their patients and service users. 

We now work much more closely with The Care Quality Commission to act on information about care settings that are causing concern. We are also launching a new Employer Link Service so we can attract the right referrals and support employers to promote good standards among their staff. 

We are shortly introducing a system of revalidation to ensure that nurses and midwives on our register remain fit to practise throughout their careers.

-End-

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 at hannah.schraer@nmc-uk.org or on 020 7681 5936.