I am being inundated with queries from social workers with fitness to practice matters at the moment. There is little time to savour successes such as a series of three cases being closed at screening stage with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), a case being closed at ICP stage with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and an interim order application being rejected after a hearing at the NMC. A phone call today with yet another social worker made difficult listening, to hear (again) of the terrible pressures under which social workers are operating and then on top of which they are required to deal with lengthy, complex fitness to practice investigations, with as the social worker said today “no duty of care” to those being investigated.

I sit here shaking my head, fearful that someone somewhere, under all of these pressures, is going to hurt themselves. Clients tell me of the dark thoughts they have had, and I can only pray that my fears do not come to pass.