The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has disclosed a twelve-year administrative failure regarding the vetting of health and character declarations, permitting approximately 15 ineligible professionals to remain on the official register.

護理及助產委員會 (NMC) 披露了一項為期十二年的行政失效，在審查健康與品格聲明時出現疏漏，導致約 15 名不合格的專業人員仍留在官方登記冊中。

The institutional failure originated from a procedural lapse wherein specialist staff failed to refer health and character declarations to assistant registrars for requisite risk assessment. Consequently, individuals who disclosed criminal convictions or impairing medical conditions were not subjected to the mandatory fitness-to-practise scrutiny. Following a whistleblower report in February, the NMC engaged paralegals to audit 18,060 applications. This review identified 434 cases lacking appropriate oversight, of which 402 involved criminal records and 32 concerned health impairments. While the majority of these cases are deemed low-risk, the regulator has recommended the removal of approximately 15 professionals whose convictions are considered incompatible with patient contact.

此次機構失效源於程序疏漏，專業人員未能將健康與品格聲明轉交給助理登記官進行必要的風險評估。因此，揭露刑事定罪或患有影響健康狀況的個人，未經過強制性的執業適格審查。在二月收到舉報後，NMC 聘請法律助理審核了 18,060 份申請。此次審查發現 434 宗個案缺乏適當監管，其中 402 宗涉及刑事紀錄，32 宗涉及健康損害。雖然大多數個案被視為低風險，但監管機構已建議將約 15 名專業人員除名，因其定罪紀錄被認為不適合接觸病人。

This regulatory deficit occurs within a broader context of institutional instability. A July 2024 Independent Culture Review, conducted by Nazir Afzal, identified a pervasive culture of racism, harassment, and systemic dysfunction. These findings precipitated a leadership transition, resulting in the appointment of Paul Rees as Chief Executive. The current administration asserts that the discovery of the vetting failure is a direct result of a newly implemented 'speak up' culture. However, stakeholder positioning remains critical; the Royal College of Nursing and Unison have characterized the event as a fundamental failure of the regulator's primary mandate, with the former demanding an independent inquiry to determine if the NMC remains fit for purpose. The Department of Health and Social Care has expressed support for the current leadership's efforts to rectify these inherited historical anomalies.

此次監管缺失發生在機構不穩定的更廣泛背景下。由 Nazir Afzal 於 2024 年 7 月進行的獨立文化審查發現，組織內普遍存在種族主義、騷擾及系統性功能失調。這些發現促使了領導層的更替，導致 Paul Rees 被任命為執行長。現任管理層聲稱，發現審查失效是新實行的「敢於發聲」文化的直接結果。然而，利害關係人的立場依然強硬；皇家護理學院與 Unison 將此事件定義為監管機構核心職能的根本失敗，前者更要求進行獨立調查，以確定 NMC 是否仍能勝任其職責。衛生及社會關懷部則對現任領導層整治這些繼承的歷史異常情況表示支持。

The 15 identified professionals now await final determinations from independent disciplinary panels regarding their removal from the register.

這 15 名被識別的專業人員目前正等待獨立紀律小組針對將其除名出登記冊做出最終決定。