Virtual versus In-Person hearings

Mar 22, 2021

The Nursing Times examines whether the NMC’s plans to continue with virtual hearings post-pandemic is a good step. The article debates the whole issue with both NMCWatch giving viewpoints as well as the unions.

Cathryn Watters, founder of NMCWatch: Registrant Care, which supports nurses and midwives who are going through the FtP process, said the continuation of virtual hearings was a “very positive move forward”.

“Appearing virtually for a nurse or midwife in the comfort of their own home, with relatives and loved ones nearby should they need them is a lot less stressful for them,” she told Nursing Times.

In addition, Ms Watters noted the benefit of registrants not having to travel.

She said the group felt that staff were “more likely to attend the hearing if they do not have to travel great distances to do so”.

“Many can not afford to do so nor afford to stay away from home whilst the hearing takes place,” added Ms Watters, who is a registered nurse.

“It will also hopefully mean that costs of hearings can be reduced.”

At first, the group had been concerned about how virtual hearings could impact “fairness, especially around cross-examining of witnesses”.

“Appearing virtually for a nurse or midwife in the comfort of their own home, with relatives and loved ones nearby should they need them is a lot less stressful for them”

Cathryn Watters

“However, we have been reassured on ones we have observed, that it is less stressful for witnesses having that virtual distance between them and the lawyer,” she told Nursing Times.

Ms Watters also stressed the importance of allowing the public to observe hearings, and “not just by audio”.

In addition, there was a need for the NMC to ensure they were “super efficient at agreeing on witness attendance and getting bundles agreed beforehand with both parties”, she said.

0 Comments

Related posts:
Weaponisation of FtP – NS article summary

This is a summary of today's Nursing Standard article created for the benefit of those without paywall access to the NS site. Managers using FtP as a weapon: nurses punished for speaking out Nurse whistleblowers are raising serious concerns about the misuse of the...

High Court extension hearings: a breakdown

This week one of our group attended the High Court to support a fellow healthcare professional. The data This HCW has ongoing process which has continued for many years. They have an interim conditions of practice and as is often the case, due to the case not...

The Fitness to Practice process: a registrant’s reflection

One of our members writes this revealing and candid reflection on their case hearing. It highlights how the current NMC Fitness to Practice process takes little care of registrants during its combative, lawyer-heavy proceedings. Regarding my hearing… Despite it being...

The Fitness to Practice process: a practitioner’s perspective

Having spent years supporting registrants through the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) Fitness to Practice process, I’ve seen its impact up close - and I’m here to tell you, the system is broken. written by Simon Holborn - Head of Advocacy at NMCWatch. I see the...

Response to FtP referrals data – Peter Bates of NMCWatch

On Tuesday 19 November, NMCWatch released data on the number of Fitness to Practice (FtP) referrals by NHS employers to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). In the run-up to this release, we had some healthy internal discussion about what the data represents and...