Welcome to NMCWatch

Support during your FtP investigation

NMCWatch supports nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professionals, going through Fitness to Practice investigations by their regulator or employer.

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It took 286 days from the NMC committing to investigate its ‘established procedures’ to the publication of the Culture Review report.

It’s a start to change. But NMCWatch will continue to press for fundamental change to the NMC’s culture and procedures.

Our response to the NMC Culture Review report

Our response to the NMC Culture Review report

Jul 9, 2024

The Nursing and Midwifery Council Independent Culture Review July 2024. Our statement on the Rise Associates report.  In response to the report released today we have made several observations and pulled out 10 themes that need urgent attention. Theme  1: “At...

Letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting: Reform the NMC - currently not Fit to Practice

Help us maintain pressure on those who can effect change.

Please fill in the short questionnaire and submit this letter, anonymously if you prefer.

Sign now

This Day

Poem By Cathryn Watters

A poem dedicated to the 27 nurses and midwives who died before the closure of their Fitness to Practice case. We know at least 16 of these died by suicide and suspect more.

Currently, the NMC is not doing any risk assessment to determine how to minimise risk to those who are vulnerable. We are trying to change that.

What we do

How we help

Buddy Scheme

A 1-2-1 service that aims to reduce the isolation and take the fear out of the FtP process.

Buddies are assigned from the same registry level and have concluded their own FtP cases.

Up to 10 hours to explore the impact and develop coping strategies.

Signposting for legal advice and other specific support areas, including financial.

Find out more

Legal Advocacy

Following the success of our Advocacy Programme pilot, we have secured a long-term plan for assisting with fitness to practice cases.

This is in response to the many registrants who have no other options available or have found the alternatives have given them unsatisfactory results.

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Peer Support Group

  • Free online support to nurses and midwives via a closed Facebook page.
  • Peer support to those suffering from the effects of the process.
  • Linking to others in the same geographical area to give local support.
  • Signposting to other organisations which can assist.
Find out more

Support Us

We’ve helped over 500 registrants get through FtP. So far.

Since 2017 we have helped hundreds of healthcare professionals through their FtP process.

Thanks to our Buddy Scheme and Advocacy Programme pilots, this help is now more formalised and refined. Although we get some limited funding, we always welcome more financial support in order to maintain these services at the highest levels.

If you or someone you know has been through a Fitness to Practice investigation you understand how crucial our work can be. So, if you are able to make a donation to enable us to help others, we would be very grateful.

Donate now

Direct support

500+

Nurses and Midwives who have been through FtP

Advocacy programme

49

Registrants who have received legal assistance from NMCWatch

Buddy scheme

61

Registrants buddied so far

Latest from NMCWatch

From our blog:

Remember your Code of Conduct NMC Council

Aug 2024 |

Letter to reg council members 20.8.24 Requesting vote of no confidence in Chair – Sir David Warren To: Eileen McEneaney, Rhiannon Beaumont-Wood, Flo Panel-Coates, Navjot Kaur Virk-EXTERNAL Dear Registrant Council Members, We write to you under our...

read more

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About Us

Our Mission

We are passionate about supporting and empowering members during this process. By providing a positive space we enable and encourage people to share their experiences…

read full statement

Volunteer

Learn how to get involved

We are always busy running NMCWatch and regularly find we have opportunities for volunteers.
If your case has concluded and you feel you can help, please let us know.
We need people who are self-motivated and able to grab a task or role and run with it.
Join us

Our Advocacy works!

The messages of thanks we get show the effect our Advocacy Programme has - read more on the Feedback page.

I will be eternally grateful for all the support that I have been given by NMCWatch. My buddy has helped me so much and gave me the strength to not give up when I thought "why am I doing this?".
After 17 months of dealing with false allegations and lies the NMC have finally said they are not going to investigate the allegations.
The buddy program is amazing and without it, I don't know what I would have done. Thank you so much to everyone in the group who, despite going through such a hard time, still take the time to support each other. You are all amazing people.

 

BK
Retired Nurse

Simon was brilliant this morning… my partner said to me today that Simon achieved so much for me in 2 days [that my] stupid union didn’t do for almost 2 years!

DC
Nurse

Simon Holborn and Cathryn Watters were my legal team and were both so incredibly knowledgeable about the whole FtP process. Without them, I would never have got through my long and torturous process and indeed a hearing that spanned over six months. Cannot thank them enough for all their help and support.

JH
Nurse

When I thought I was losing everything, felt worthless and hopeless, and my anxiety was high, I would talk things through with my buddy. They would calm me down, put things back into perspective and help me to restart.

Thank you for the buddy system. Talking through the challenging times is a lot easier knowing someone has gone through a similar process and can really relate to how you are feeling. I am forever grateful.

AW
Nurse

There are some seriously amazing people in this world, and Cathryn and Simon are both sitting proudly at the top of them!
Special people who are the most supportive and caring individuals.
Just off to sob as the 2nd case is dropped and I am finally FREE!!!

 

KL
Midwife
Thank you for the support and guidance I received from this group. Cathryn Watters has always given me the support and encouragement to face NMC since I found NMCWatch. Today is my last day at [the] ward, where I did my return to practice and my condition of practice. In February I am joining my new ward.

 

GP
Nurse
(Buddy) Sue has been so knowledgeable in terms of process and procedures and given me help and support in preparing my response. More importantly, she has been there for me psychologically. She believed me, and that was the most important thing. Sue understands how challenging this process is and understands the weaknesses of the NMC investigative processes. Sue listened and remembered personal challenges and was there with an important message of support... couldn't ask for a better guardian angel.

 

CM
Nurse
Simon Holborn and Cathryn have both been amazing support and help to me during probably the most difficult time of my life. Could not have got through it without the support, reassurance and help.

 

SF
Nurse