Secretary of State for Health and NMC ask PSA to lead Morecambe Bay lessons learned review

The Secretary of State for Health together with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has today asked the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) to carry out an independent, lessons learned review into the NMC’s handling of the Morecambe Bay fitness to practise cases.

The NMC announced in November last year that a lessons learned review would take place following the conclusion of the final fitness to practise cases in 2017.

Jackie Smith, NMC Chief Executive and Registrar said:

“Following our announcement last year that there would be an independent lessons learned review into our handling of the Morecambe Bay cases, the Secretary of State for Health and the NMC have today asked the PSA to lead this important review.

“As an open and transparent organisation, committed to continuous improvement we welcome the contribution of the PSA in helping us to identify learning from our handling of these cases in order to establish where we could do things differently should a similar situation arise now.

“As an organisation we have already identified and implemented a range a range of important measures designed to make sure we handle cases better in the future. This includes establishing a dedicated witness liaison service to work closely with the families and individuals contributing to the fitness to practise process.

“We cannot change what has already happened, however, we must move forward by identifying how we should do things differently in the future.”

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Notes for editors

1. The Secretary of State for Health and the NMC have asked the PSA to undertake a lessons learned review of our handling of the Morecambe Bay fitness to practise cases. This is not a review of the outcome of any of the individual cases. 
2. For media enquiries, please contact NMC press office on 020 7681 5409 or email media@nmc-uk.org. 
3. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent professional regulator for nurses and midwives in the UK. We exist to protect the public. We do this by maintaining the register of qualified nurses and midwives and setting standards of education, training, conduct and performance. We make sure that nurses and midwives keep their skills and knowledge up to date through a regular revalidation process. If concerns are raised about the standards of a registered nurse or midwife, we have a duty to investigate and, where necessary, take action to protect the public.