Why we screen cases
We screen cases to assess whether a case is for us or not. Screening cases helps us to identify risk, then understand how serious it is and think about whether regulation is the right way to address it.
First we check if the concern is about a nurse, midwife or nursing associates on our register. Then we check if the case could raise questions about their registration with us, or their fitness to practise as a registered professional.
If the case is for us, we need to decide, quickly, the seriousness of a case, and whether an interim order should be put in place.
We use thresholds to help us make these decisions.
This also ensures that we focus our resources on the right cases, where employers can't manage the risk effectively.
If regulatory action is required, we need to make sure we are proportionate and apply only the right amount of regulatory force to achieve our desired outcome of public protection.
Find out about the different stages of our screening process and more.
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- Last Updated: 31/08/2018
The guidance in our library, needs to be read alongside our NMC Guidance during the Covid-19 emergency period. We have new rules that are in force during the period of the coronavirus emergency that are relevant to how it applies.
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Related guides
FtP library
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Understanding Fitness to Practise
- Aims and principles for fitness to practise
- Allegations we consider
- How we determine seriousness
- Why we screen cases
- When we use interim orders
- Investigations
- Examining cases
- How we manage cases
- Meetings and hearings
- Resolving cases by agreement
- What sanctions are and when we might use them
- Remediation and insight
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Screening
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The four stages of our screening decision
- The four stages of our screening decision - overview
- Stage one: Determine if the concern is serious enough to affect fitness to practise
- Stage two: Check it meets our formal requirements
- Stage three: Check whether we can obtain credible evidence
- Stage four: Check for evidence of remediation
- Cases not referred for further investigation
- Determining the regulatory concern
- Screening incorrect or fraudulent entry cases
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The four stages of our screening decision
- Interim Orders
- Investigations
- Case Examiners
- Preparing for the FtP Committee
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Case management
- Hearing fitness to practise allegations together
- Telephone conferences
- Preliminary meetings
- Dealing with cases at hearings or meetings
- Voluntary removal
- 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
- FtP Committee decision making
- Sanctions
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Reviews
- Reviewing case examiner decisions
- Interim order reviews
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Substantive order reviews
- Substantive order reviews - overview
- Standard reviews before expiry
- Early review
- 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
- Allowing orders to expire when a nurse or midwife’s registration will lapse
- Appeals and restoration