Laura and Cathryn talk more about the case, hearings and appeal, and what needs to change at the NMC.

This is Part 2 of Cathryn's chat with Laura Hindle about her successful appeal hearing against the NMC.&nbsp;They talk about NMC accountability and how frustrating it can be to deal with them. They also talk about the challenges Laura faced during her case and the support she got from both her legal team at the RCN, as well as NMCWatch.The conversation then broadens out talking about process and accountability changes needed at the NMC.&nbsp; Again, if you have any comments about Laura’s case or your own, or just want to speak to somebody, please get in touch via our website - <a href="http://nmcwatch.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NMCWatch.org.uk</a> - and you can find us on most social media platforms - links are on the website. Part 1 of this podcast, if you missed it, is here <a href="https://shows.acast.com/nmcwatch-podcast/episodes/lauras-successful-appeal-against-nmc-sanctions-part-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://shows.acast.com/nmcwatch-podcast/episodes/lauras-successful-appeal-against-nmc-sanctions-part-1</a>

Laura's successful appeal against NMC sanctions - part 2

Laura and Cathryn talk about the case, hearings and the appeal.

A now all too familiar case of a vexatious referral that could have been dealt with far better by the NMC, and at far less cost.Laura Hindle successfully appealed her sanctions against the NMC. Watch out for part 2 of this podcast next week.

Laura's successful appeal against NMC sanctions - part 1

If NMC can't even handle their data properly, how can they be expected to manage more complex issues?

John tells Cathryn about his time as a data analyst at NMC, how his concerns over their data handling were raised from early on, and how he was treated as an unwitting whistleblower and finally squeezed out of his job.

The ex-NMC data analyst whistleblower

Francis was referred to the NMC by one of its own FTP panel members. Four years later his case was closed with No Case To Answer.

No case to answer after NMC panel member refers colleague

How the NMCWatch Buddy scheme helps people get through FtP and move on afterwards.

Cathryn speaks to three people who help make the Buddy Scheme at NMCWatch a functioning, unique and extraordinary service. They talk about why the scheme is so necessary. How it helps nurses and midwives get through FTP and how it helps the Buddies themselves move on from their own FTP experiences - therapy for the therapists, you might say. So, have a listen, and if it moves you to want to become a Buddy, do get in touch with us as we’re always looking for more people to join us. https://nmcwatch.org.uk/buddy-hold-my-hand/

Our Buddy scheme

A chat about the new NMC Agreed Removal from register policy.

Our panel of experts sat down to discuss the new NMC policy of Agreed Removal, replacing Voluntary Removal.Cathryn Watters is NMCWatch's Founder and CEO.Pat Dwan is NMCWatch's CiC committee chair.Simon Holborn is our Director of FtP and HR lead.Trish is one of our NMCWatch Group admins and has her own FtP experience. Read more:https://www.nmc.org.uk/ftp-library/case-management/agreed-removal/how-does-the-agreed-removal-process-work/

Voluntary/Agreed Removal - Round table discussion

Mental-health nurse Kenny's path to restoration

Kenny was born into the Irish immigrant community in London, growing up on a council estate. He was in foster care until he was about 8, served in the British military for 7 years and has worked in the drug and alcohol field in various roles since 1993. A few years ago Kenny contacted NMCWatch for help with his restoration hearing following strike-off 5 years previously.&nbsp;Since then, Kenny has been an active member of NMCWatch and is our safeguarding lead. He has completed his first&nbsp;revalidation since being restored to the register and his career is going from strength to strength.

Too many lawyers in FtP regulation?

Expert investigator Ian Hynes casts a critical eye over regulator investigations.

Ian Hynes has over 40 years of international investigative experience, and is a world-leading expert and an award-winning practitioner of investigation, particularly the ‘science of investigative interviewing’.&nbsp; He was the Strategic Investigation Interview Manager for a major UK police force for 12 years until August 2014 during which time he authored investigation policy, developed practice, and had responsibility for competencies and standards, reviewing investigations globally. His investigation strategies and tactics have withstood challenge and scrutiny from the highest courts in the UK and beyond. A number of those strategies concerned serious criminality and misconduct in healthcare settings. It was during this time that his interest in FTP investigation was ‘piqued’, observing first-hand serious miscarriages of justice both criminally and civilly, alongside plummeting investigation standards. Driven by those experiences, in 2014 Ian founded Intersol Global, a company with a clear philosophy and values that recognise just how poor investigation practice can destroy lives, livelihoods, and careers. With his team, he set about applying investigation standards and competencies that were relevant and proportionate to the civil sector, including FTP investigation. Intersol Global are now a team of over 40 of the most qualified and experienced civil investigators in the UK and train, qualify, advise, and conduct workplace discipline investigation across several sectors, including healthcare.&nbsp;Recognising that FTP panels make decisions based entirely on meaningful reliable detail and accuracy, they developed and deliver the only externally regulated qualification in the world to conduct workplace investigation meetings (investigative interviewing).

How qualified are FtP investigators?

No case to answer, but the trauma has had a lasting effect.

Paul Turner qualified as a mental health nurse in 1987 and went on to specialise in the treatment of people with alcohol problems. After leaving the NHS in 2003 to focus on a non-health-related business, Paul did a Return to Practice Course in 2014 in order to get back to treating people for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) privately. In large parts of the UK, people find it very difficult to find suitable and effective help for this disorder and over 8000 people a year die from it. Few resources are made available, leaving a gap which Paul aims to fill. In 2016, an NHS nurse discovered that Paul and his nurse prescriber colleague had been treating a patient with an alcohol home detox and decided that they shouldn't have been doing this. She referred them both to the NMC, stating that they were 'working outside their remit.' She made no effort to contact either of them and, even now, Paul has never had a conversation with the nurse. Her referral was full of evidence of her own shortcomings with regard to her knowledge of this area of practice. She even admitted to the NMC that she had never conducted an alcohol detox, despite being employed as an alcohol specialist nurse. The NMC regarded the allegations as serious and Paul and his colleague had to attend Interim Order Hearings where they both received a 'no interim order'. A year later, after very little had been done in terms of an investigation, they were both given a 'no case to answer' verdict. Along the way were some strange events, including Paul being asked by the NMC to find an alcohol expert who could advise them regarding his own case about the work he was doing. Since the FtP process, Paul’s colleague has stopped working independently due to the trauma of what happened. Although Paul has built a working relationship with a private GP and also become qualified to prescribe himself, he still suffers from anxiety and stress.

Paul's defence of ill-advised referral

Stories of surviving Fitness to Practice from healthcare professionals.

NMCWatch seeks to support nurses and midwives, and other healthcare professionals, going through Fitness to Practice investigations by their regulator. Our podcast offers some of those who have been through FtP a space to tell their side of the story; to honestly and openly tell us about the impact of this process and how they have come out of it.Host Cathryn Watters, NMCWatch founder, went through her own investigation and brings her experience of that process along with those of all the nurses and midwives she has supported since, to create an expert, informed, friendly listen.&nbsp; https://nmcwatch.org.uk/support@nmcwatch.org.uk

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