Concerns about the Yunnik test centre

In line with our usual Fraudulent/Incorrect Entry process the NMC will contact employers directly. If you employ someone on the register that we suspect it is more likely than not they obtained their CBT fraudulently.  

If you are employing someone on the register who you think took their CBT at the Yunnik centre, please get in touch with us (employerlinkservice@nmc-uk.org) with a name and we will confirm if they took their CBT at the Yunnik test centre and need to pass a new CBT.

We do not require you to take any direct action against individuals at this stage, solely on the basis of our communication to you.  

An independent panel will consider whether the individual(s) entry to the NMC register was obtained fraudulently and what action to take. In line with our usual process employers will be updated on the outcome of any Fraudulent/Incorrect Entry hearing.   

You may however wish to carry out your own risk assessment.  

We will ask an independent panel to decide, based on the evidence, whether they consider that an individual’s CBT result was obtained fraudulently and if so, what action may be needed. This will be considered at a hearing or a meeting. 
 
We strongly advise professionals to fully engage with this process, including the hearing stage. We would encourage people to speak to their trade union or representative if they have one.  
 
If they do not attend, the panel may proceed with the hearing and reach a decision in their absence. 

They should book a new CBT – details of how to do this are included in the letter they have received. If they pass, they will be able to remain on the register. Individuals have up to six months to take and pass a new CBT. 
 
If an individual fails to take a new CBT or fails a new CBT three times, they will progress through our incorrect entry process. 
 
As far as possible, employers should give their staff the time and support needed to re-sit their CBT successfully.

Our concerns relate to fraudulent or incorrect entry to our register. Fraudulent and incorrect entry cases look at how someone got onto the register, rather than a concern about a professional’s fitness to practise (FtP).  
 
At present, no clinical concerns have been raised with us about the affected individuals on our register. 
 
We apply multiple assurance checks to individuals applying to join our register, of which CBT is one. All of those on our register will have subject to the following additional checks: 
Sitting the practical OSCE exam 
In-person identity and documentation verification 
English language checks

Where we consider that an individual in the application process more likely than not obtained their CBT result fraudulently, we will write to them explaining our concerns, the regulatory approach we plan to take and the implications for them.  
 
We have told individuals that they must share this letter with their employer or sponsor. 
 
You can ask applicants whether they have received that letter from the NMC and to share it with you. 
 
If you are unsure whether an individual has received this letter, you can contact a dedicated team at the NMC who will be able to confirm whether an individual took their CBT at the Yunnik centre and has received a letter from us. The NMC will not share information on whether or not we suspect an individual obtained their CBT result fraudulently. This is for the individual to share with you.  
 
If an individual is found to have been dishonest with you, this is something we may consider as part of our regulatory processes. 

We do not hold complete information on who is employing or sponsoring all applicants.  

If you contact us with the names of those you know or suspect to have sat their test at the Yunnik centre, we will be able to review this against our list of applicants affected and confirm this with you. To do this, please email: employerlinkservice@nmc-uk.org  

You can then ask the individual to share a copy of the letter they have received from us which will contain all the information relevant to their case. 

We do not expect you to take any direct action against individuals at this stage, solely on the basis of our communication with them. 

We have not yet made any final decisions about whether someone will be able to join our register. 

If they pass a new CBT and submit a complete application, this will be considered by an Assistant Registrar. The Assistant Registrar will consider whether they meet our character requirements, including taking into account any evidence relating to whether or not they  fraudulently obtained their CBT. 

They have 6 months in which to do this before their application will be closed.  

This may be reopened if they submit a complete application at some point in the future, however their application will always need to be considered by an Assistant Registrar.  

You may wish to carry out your own local risk assessment.  

We cannot advise on this. You may wish to carry out your own risk assessment.  
 
An individual will need to resit and pass a new CBT before they are able to apply to join the NMC’s register.  
 
If they do submit a completed application, this will be considered by an Assistant Register who will consider whether they meet our character requirements, including taking into account any evidence relating to whether or not they fraudulently obtained their CBT. 

We do not require you to take any direct action against individuals you employ at this stage, solely on the basis of our communication with them. 
 
We cannot advise on whether you should continue sponsoring an individual to join our register. You may wish to carry out your own risk assessment.  

The Department of Health and Social Care has advised that professionals in the UK who have not been awarded their PIN due to the ongoing investigation into CBT’s at Yunnik can continue to be sponsored and employed at a lower banding.  This can continue until the investigation concludes, even if the individual has been in the country for 8 months, which is the usual time limit for them to become registered nurses.   
 
You should add a sponsor note to the sponsor management system (SMS) and update as needed to keep UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) informed. 

They should book a new CBT – details of how to do this are included in the letter they have received.  
 
They have 6 months in which to do this before their application will be closed.  

The retest fee is being covered by our test provider Pearson VUE. 

Candidates have up to three attempts, in line with our existing policy  

As far as possible, employers should give their staff the time and support needed to re-sit their CBT successfully.  

There are a range of resources on our website to help prepare candidates for the CBT:  

Test of Competence 2021: Preparation materials – The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk) 

Individuals have up to six months from the date on their letter to take and pass a new CBT. 

Details of how to re-book the test are included in the letter we’ve sent to registrants/applicants. 

Due to the evidence of widespread fraud at the Yunnik centre, we’re unable to be confident in any of the CBT results obtained there. We therefore consider all CBT results obtained at the Yunnik centre to be invalid.

Fraudulent and incorrect entry cases look at how someone got onto the register, rather than a concern about a professional’s fitness to practise (FtP).  
 
However fraudulent or incorrect entry cases are considered by an independent panel called the Investigating Committee. This is similar to how FtP concerns are sometimes heard by a panel. 

We now only use CBT test centres that have CCTV and biometric monitoring in place. We have also put in place additional monitoring and reporting with our test provider Pearson VUE.

The first step in our investigation was to ask Pearson VUE to provide us with assurance that the data is accurate and that they had performed a thorough review for any system error, hacking activity or other ways the data could have been compromised. They confirmed that there had not been a technical error on the site and that they had taken steps to assure themselves of this. 
Additionally, we asked an independent data expert to analyse all the data provided by Pearson VUE to provide us with an objective view. 

If an independent panel finds, based on the evidence available, that someone on the register entered it fraudulently and removes them from the register, this decision will be published on our website in line with our publication guidance.  

If an Assistant Registrar refuses an application to the NMC register, based on the evidence available, about how an individual obtained their CBT, this will not be made public. 

In both cases, the individual would be able to appeal the decision and seek to reapply to the register at a later date.  

We have identified a small number of concerns relating to English language evidence. We are considering this as part of our regulatory work.