The NMC have improved the process by trying to gather as much information as possible from all parties involved around context.
What led up to events?
What other things happened?
Is there anything unusual that happened which made the situation worse?
This is by no means to lessen your professional responsibility over incidents but does allow the NMC to gather better intelligence in order to reach the right decision on your case
You should always get your legal representative to check this response before sending it – here are the questions they will ask you to respond to. If you haven’t been sent this response form then you can request it via your case officer.
It is helpful because:]
- Often there is a whole background story about what occurred before the “incident” that can go some way to explain why it may have occurred.
- It may be the first opportunity you have had to show any poor practice in your clinical area, that may actually be at fault or have contributed to issues occurring.
It is early day to see how this information is used but we hope it will give a fairer approach to the FtP process, ensuring investigations are more neutral and complete.
The information provided will not in any way negate your own professional responsibility for your own conduct but it may help show you did the best you could in challenging circumstances.
Always refer to your Code of Conduct when looking at personal responsibilities for practice and providing reflection on where you can improve
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