Skip to content
The Nursing and Midwifery Council
  • Cymraeg
  • Latest hearings
  • NMC Online
  • Contact us
Search the register Employer confirmations
Menu Search

Menu

  • Search the register
  • Employer confirmations
  • About us
    • About us

    • What we do
    • Governance
    • Reports and accounts
    • Culture Transformation Plan
    • NMC Insights
    • Careers
    • Consultations
    • Policy
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Working with others
  • Standards
    • Standards

    • The Code
    • Revalidation
    • Standards for nurses
    • Standards for midwives
    • Standards for nursing associates
    • Standards for post registration
    • How we develop our standards
    • Guidance and Supporting Information
  • Education
    • Education

    • Approved programmes
    • Our role in education
    • Quality assurance of education
    • Developing our education requirements
    • Becoming a nurse, midwife or nursing associate
    • Contacts at education institutions
    • Resources for students
  • Concerns
    • Concerns

    • What is fitness to practise?
    • Information for patients, families and the public
    • Information for people on our register
    • Information for witnesses
    • Managing Concerns: A resource for employers
    • Hearings
    • Our plan for fitness to practise
    • Fitness to Practise library
    • Raise a concern
  • Registration
    • Registration

    • Search the register
    • Employer confirmations
    • NMC Online
    • Joining the register
    • Manage your registration
    • Returning to the register
    • Information for internationally trained applicants
    • Registration appeals
    • Guidance for employers
  • News
    • News

    • News and updates
    • Events
    • Media enquiries
    • Email newsletters
  • Latest hearings
  • NMC Online
  • Contact us
  • Search
FtP library
  • Understanding Fitness to Practise
    • Aims and principles for fitness to practise
    • Allegations we consider
      • Allegations we consider - overview
      • Misconduct
      • Lack of competence
      • Criminal convictions and cautions
      • Health
      • Not having the necessary knowledge of English
      • Determinations by other health or social care organisations
      • Fraudulent or incorrect entry to the register
    • When we use interim orders
    • Our investigations
    • Examining cases
    • How we manage cases
    • Meetings and hearings
    • Resolving cases by agreement
    • What sanctions are and when we might use them
    • Taking account of context
      • Taking account of context - overview
      • 1: We’ll approach cases on the basis that most people referred to us are normally safe
      • 2: We’ll seek to build an accurate picture about the nurse, midwife or nursing associate’s practising history
      • 3: We’ll always carefully consider evidence of discrimination, victimisation, bullying or harassment
      • 4: Where risks are caused by system and process failures, we’ll concentrate on the action we can take to help resolve the underlying issues
      • 5: In cases where a nurse, midwife or nursing associate was required to use their professional judgement we’ll respond proportionately
      • 6: Evidence of steps the nurse, midwife or nursing associate has taken to address serious concerns caused by a gap in knowledge or training or personal context factors
      • 7: We’ll always look into whether group norms or culture influenced an individual’s behaviour before taking action
      • 8: Where an incident has occurred because of cultural problems, we’ll concentrate on taking action to minimise the risk of the same thing happening again
      • What context factors we think are important to know about when considering a case
    • Our culture of curiosity
    • Decisions of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Disclosure Scotland
    • Insight and strengthened practice
      • Insight and strengthened practice - overview
      • Can the concern be addressed?
      • Has the concern been addressed?
      • Is it highly unlikely that the conduct will be repeated?
    • Engaging with your case
  • Screening
    • Our overall approach
      • Our overall approach - overview
      • A decision not to take any further action at this time
    • Determining the regulatory concern
      • Determining the regulatory concern - overview
      • Identifying and explaining regulatory concerns
      • Regulatory concerns in health cases
    • Cases that may involve incorrect or fraudulent entry
  • Interim Orders
    • Interim orders, their purpose, and our powers to impose them
    • Decision making factors for interim orders
    • Applications for interim orders
    • Interim orders and multiple referrals
  • Investigations
    • Gathering information
    • How we investigate health concerns about nurses, midwives and nursing associates
    • Directions to take a language assessment
    • Investigating what caused the death or serious harm of a patient
    • Independent experts
    • Investigating at the same time as other organisations
  • Case Examiners
    • How case examiners decide there is a case to answer
    • Available outcomes
      • Available outcomes - overview
      • Advice
      • Warnings
      • Undertakings
    • Reconsidering closed cases
    • When we revisit case to answer decisions
  • Preparing for the FtP Committee
    • Reviewing cases after they are referred to the FtPC
    • Drafting charges
      • Why do we have guidance on charges?
      • Jargon buster
      • General approach
      • How a charge becomes final
      • Practical drafting issues
      • Particular features of misconduct charging
      • Drafting charges in health cases
      • Other fitness to practise charges
      • Multiple allegations
      • Drafting charges in incorrect or fraudulent entry cases
    • Documents panels use when deciding cases
    • Gathering further evidence after the investigation
    • Disclosure
    • Notice of our hearings and meetings
  • Case management
    • Hearing fitness to practise allegations together
    • Case conferences
    • Preliminary meetings
    • Considering cases at meetings and hearings
    • Removal by Agreement
      • Removal by Agreement - overview
      • How does the agreed removal process work?
      • How we consider removal applications
      • Circumstances where agreed removal will not be appropriate
      • Applying the agreed removal criteria to particular cases
      • Readmission to the register
    • Cancelling hearings
    • Constitution of panels
    • Proceeding with hearings when the nurse, midwife or nursing associate is absent
    • Case management during hearings
    • Hearings in private and in public
    • When we postpone or adjourn hearings
    • Supporting people to give evidence in hearings
  • FtP Committee decision making
    • Impairment
    • Consensual panel determination
      • Consensual panel determination - overview
      • Essential criteria
      • The process
    • Offering no evidence
    • Abuse of process
    • Directing further investigation during a hearing
    • Evidence
    • Making decisions on sexual misconduct
    • Making decisions on dishonesty charges and the professional duty of candour
    • Agreed removal at hearings
    • Deciding on incorrect or fraudulent entry
  • Sanctions
    • Factors to consider before deciding on sanctions
    • Sanctions for particularly serious cases
    • Available sanction orders
      • Available sanction orders - overview
      • No further action
      • Caution order
      • Conditions of practice order
      • Suspension order
      • Striking-off order
    • Available orders for fraudulent or incorrect entry
    • Interim orders after a sanction is imposed
    • Directing reviews of substantive orders
  • Reviews
    • Reviewing case examiner decisions
      • Reviewing case examiner decisions - overview
      • Stage one: should we start a review?
      • Stage two: what happens during the review process?
    • Interim order reviews
      • Interim order reviews - overview
      • What happens at an interim order review?
      • Early reviews
      • Notice
    • Substantive order reviews
      • Substantive order reviews - overview
      • Standard reviews of substantive orders before they expire
      • Early review of a substantive order
      • Exceptional cases: changing orders with immediate effect at a standard review
      • Review of striking-off orders
      • New allegations
      • Reviewing orders when there may have been a breach
      • Reviews where an interim order is in place
      • Removal from the register when there is a substantive order in place
  • Appeals and restoration
    • Appeals against panel decisions
    • Restoration
      • Restoration - overview
      • Deciding on applications for restoration
      • Powers of the Fitness to Practise Committee at a restoration hearing
  • Recently viewed articles
  • Home
  • FtP library
  • Case Examiners

Case Examiners 7 Guides

file

How case examiners decide there is a case to answer

file

Available outcomes

Advice
Warnings
Undertakings
file

Reconsidering closed cases

file

When we revisit case to answer decisions

Download All
  • Print this page
  • Email this page
  • Last updated: 19/01/2021

FtP library

  • Understanding Fitness to Practise
    • Aims and principles for fitness to practise
    • Allegations we consider
      • Allegations we consider - overview
      • Misconduct
        • Misconduct - overview
        • Freedom of expression and Fitness to Practise
      • Lack of competence
      • Criminal convictions and cautions
        • Criminal convictions and cautions - overview
        • Directly referring specified offences to the Fitness to Practise Committee
        • Criminal offences we don't investigate
      • Health
      • Not having the necessary knowledge of English
      • Determinations by other health or social care organisations
      • Fraudulent or incorrect entry to the register
        • Fraudulent or incorrect entry to the register - overview
        • Types of incorrect or fraudulent entry cases
        • Dual registration
    • When we use interim orders
    • Our investigations
    • Examining cases
    • How we manage cases
    • Meetings and hearings
    • Resolving cases by agreement
    • What sanctions are and when we might use them
    • Taking account of context
      • Taking account of context - overview
      • 1: We’ll approach cases on the basis that most people referred to us are normally safe
      • 2: We’ll seek to build an accurate picture about the nurse, midwife or nursing associate’s practising history
      • 3: We’ll always carefully consider evidence of discrimination, victimisation, bullying or harassment
      • 4: Where risks are caused by system and process failures, we’ll concentrate on the action we can take to help resolve the underlying issues
      • 5: In cases where a nurse, midwife or nursing associate was required to use their professional judgement we’ll respond proportionately
      • 6: Evidence of steps the nurse, midwife or nursing associate has taken to address serious concerns caused by a gap in knowledge or training or personal context factors
      • 7: We’ll always look into whether group norms or culture influenced an individual’s behaviour before taking action
      • 8: Where an incident has occurred because of cultural problems, we’ll concentrate on taking action to minimise the risk of the same thing happening again
      • What context factors we think are important to know about when considering a case
    • Our culture of curiosity
    • Decisions of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Disclosure Scotland
    • Insight and strengthened practice
      • Insight and strengthened practice - overview
      • Can the concern be addressed?
      • Has the concern been addressed?
      • Is it highly unlikely that the conduct will be repeated?
    • Engaging with your case
  • Screening
    • Our overall approach
      • Our overall approach - overview
      • A decision not to take any further action at this time
    • Determining the regulatory concern
      • Determining the regulatory concern - overview
      • Identifying and explaining regulatory concerns
      • Regulatory concerns in health cases
    • Cases that may involve incorrect or fraudulent entry
  • Interim Orders
    • Interim orders, their purpose, and our powers to impose them
    • Decision making factors for interim orders
    • Applications for interim orders
    • Interim orders and multiple referrals
  • Investigations
    • Gathering information
    • How we investigate health concerns about nurses, midwives and nursing associates
    • Directions to take a language assessment
    • Investigating what caused the death or serious harm of a patient
    • Independent experts
    • Investigating at the same time as other organisations
  • Case Examiners
    • How case examiners decide there is a case to answer
    • Available outcomes
      • Available outcomes - overview
      • Advice
      • Warnings
      • Undertakings
    • Reconsidering closed cases
    • When we revisit case to answer decisions
  • Preparing for the FtP Committee
    • Reviewing cases after they are referred to the FtPC
    • Drafting charges
      • Why do we have guidance on charges?
      • Jargon buster
      • General approach
      • How a charge becomes final
      • Practical drafting issues
      • Particular features of misconduct charging
      • Drafting charges in health cases
      • Other fitness to practise charges
      • Multiple allegations
      • Drafting charges in incorrect or fraudulent entry cases
    • Documents panels use when deciding cases
    • Gathering further evidence after the investigation
    • Disclosure
    • Notice of our hearings and meetings
  • Case management
    • Hearing fitness to practise allegations together
    • Case conferences
    • Preliminary meetings
    • Considering cases at meetings and hearings
    • Removal by Agreement
      • Removal by Agreement - overview
      • How does the agreed removal process work?
      • How we consider removal applications
      • Circumstances where agreed removal will not be appropriate
      • Applying the agreed removal criteria to particular cases
      • Readmission to the register
    • Cancelling hearings
    • Constitution of panels
    • Proceeding with hearings when the nurse, midwife or nursing associate is absent
    • Case management during hearings
    • Hearings in private and in public
    • When we postpone or adjourn hearings
    • Supporting people to give evidence in hearings
  • FtP Committee decision making
    • Impairment
    • Consensual panel determination
      • Consensual panel determination - overview
      • Essential criteria
      • The process
    • Offering no evidence
    • Abuse of process
    • Directing further investigation during a hearing
    • Evidence
    • Making decisions on sexual misconduct
    • Making decisions on dishonesty charges and the professional duty of candour
    • Agreed removal at hearings
    • Deciding on incorrect or fraudulent entry
  • Sanctions
    • Factors to consider before deciding on sanctions
    • Sanctions for particularly serious cases
    • Available sanction orders
      • Available sanction orders - overview
      • No further action
      • Caution order
      • Conditions of practice order
      • Suspension order
      • Striking-off order
    • Available orders for fraudulent or incorrect entry
    • Interim orders after a sanction is imposed
    • Directing reviews of substantive orders
  • Reviews
    • Reviewing case examiner decisions
      • Reviewing case examiner decisions - overview
      • Stage one: should we start a review?
      • Stage two: what happens during the review process?
    • Interim order reviews
      • Interim order reviews - overview
      • What happens at an interim order review?
      • Early reviews
      • Notice
    • Substantive order reviews
      • Substantive order reviews - overview
      • Standard reviews of substantive orders before they expire
      • Early review of a substantive order
      • Exceptional cases: changing orders with immediate effect at a standard review
      • Review of striking-off orders
      • New allegations
      • Reviewing orders when there may have been a breach
      • Reviews where an interim order is in place
      • Removal from the register when there is a substantive order in place
  • Appeals and restoration
    • Appeals against panel decisions
    • Restoration
      • Restoration - overview
      • Deciding on applications for restoration
      • Powers of the Fitness to Practise Committee at a restoration hearing
Regulate Support Influence

We're the independent regulator of more than 841,000 nurses, midwives and nursing associates. Our vision is safe, effective and kind nursing and midwifery practice for everyone.

  • About us
  • Standards
  • Education
  • Concerns
  • Registration
  • Careers

Connect with us on social media using the links below:


  • Facebook

  • X

  • Instagram

  • LinkedIn
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Terms & conditions
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Environmental Sustainability Plan
  • Publication scheme
  • Privacy notice
  • FOI and Data Protection requests
  • Procurement
  • Staff area and webmail
  • Our tone of voice guidelines

© The Nursing and Midwifery Council 2025. The NMC is a registered charity in England and Wales (1091434) and Scotland (SC03836).