It is often the case that when a nurse or other professional makes one error, their case load is rigorously audited, and a whole series of other mistakes come to light.

It's hell in the NMC hearing centre in East London at the moment. The other London hearing centre at Aldwych has closed permanently, meaning that all hearings are being squeezed into the Stratford centre.

Two hearings and two investigation reports in the past two weeks have shown again where it is important to get it right from the start.

Yesterday I took on a new client, a nurse accused of dishonestly working in second employment whilst on sick leave from the first. This type of case is common and I have at least three of these at the moment.

The nurse concerned has been subject to a conditions of practice order since November 2017, following a fitness to practice referral by her then employer.

This was a very interesting case, because the NMC got an interim conditions of practice order against the nurse, and this made it very difficult for her to find work as a nurse and thus remedy her failings.

When you are struck off, you have to wait 5 years until you can apply to be restored to the register. There is the possibility of appealing the strike off order, but it is a high hurdle to get over in order to be successful.

I got to visit the Edinburgh location for the first time. What a lovely city! Unfortunately, there was little time for sight-seeing,

When you get struck off, this means you cannot work as a nurse or midwife, unless you succeed in an appeal or review, for at least 5 years. You’ll have to find some other way of paying your bills.

Being a nurse is a "notifiable profession", which means essentially that the police will tell the NMC that you have been arrested and what happens with your case. This may cause the NMC to initiate a fitness to practice process, depending on the offence for which you've been detained.

Although I'm happy to pick up cases the day before a hearing if necessary, some cases really require registrants to engage with the proceedings and with me a little earlier.

Needless to say, she was very relieved and she didn't even have to attend the hearing!

I do get a little emotional when I see a nurse's reaction like that. It really means so much to them. It's well worth the time and effort