The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr Daniel Poulter)
The Government have made an offer to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of a one-off grant of £20 million to support it in improving its performance in dealing with fitness to practise cases.
The NMC is an important organisation with a vital role to play in protecting patients. The offer comes after a period when the NMC has experienced many years of financial and performance difficulties. This year, under new leadership, the NMC has already begun to make improvements to its operations and financial management, but much more still needs to be done.
The NMC has recently consulted on increasing its annual fee to £120. This would mean nurses and midwives would have to pay an extra £44 every year, at a time of significant pay restraint in the public sector.
The Government expect that this grant will provide the extra financial support required for the NMC to properly tackle a backlog of fitness to practise cases, as well as to allow it to reduce the effect of a fee rise for hard-working nurses and midwives.
It is a decision for the NMC Council whether or not to accept the Government’s offer of a grant.