Incorrect and Fraudulent entry cases at the NMC

I’ve written before about how the NMC is conducting many hearings relating to alleged fraud by nurses in CBT exams at the Yunnik test centre in Ibadan, Nigeria. This is an enormous drain on NMC resources, with internal teams being set up to manage the cases, and external and internal lawyers being tasked to prepare and present the cases at the hearings. It is a matter of debate as to whether the NMC acted correctly in voiding all the nurses’ test results and subjecting those with the most suspicious results to these hearings. My view is that a better course would have been to accept that the legitimacy of all of the results was vitiated by the NMC concerns, and to ask nurses to retake the test - those that passed could then have proceeded on the basis of results that were not in question. There wouldn’t have been any need for this gross use of resources, particularly when the NMC is so stretched in its fitness to practise processes. I’m currently seeing egregious delays in screening, Case Examiner outcomes and post-Case Examiner legal review.

Anyway, I digress. Yunnik. My first Yunnik case was in 2024. I had another one this week, and the NMC told me that it was booked up solidly into next year on these cases.

These hearings are very difficult for registrants and appellants. The NMC has had a very long time to prepare, and like an AI, it assimilates knowledge gained in one case for use in the next. As a result, not many nurses are likely to be successful and case presenters have confirmed to me that successes are very rare indeed.

My three day hearing this week ended a day early, today - and with a success for my client! I am now three from six, a 50% success rate (yes, I also excel at maths…).

Of course, my client is delighted. But they have spent time and money on this case, as has the NMC. It could, and I believe should, have gone another way. Unfortunately, my favourite KC is on the other side of these cases. Anyone interested in challenging the NMC decision making on this?