Increase In Complaints About Nurses And Midwives

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 05 Jul 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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Figures presented in a report to the NMC on 2 July 2009 show an increase in the number of complaints about nurses and midwives.

The report, 'Fitness to Practise Annual Report: 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009', reveals that the NMC received 2,178 new complaints about nurses and midwives during the last financial year (see Notes for Editors for breakdown). A total of 1,759 complaints were subsequently assessed as suitable for further investigation, an increase of over 18% compared to the previous year (1,487 in 2007/08). This represents the highest number of allegations received by the UK's largest health professional regulator since 2005.

NMC FtP annual report 2008-2009 [PDF]

The largest number of complaints came from employers of nurses and midwives (47%) followed by those from the police (23%). Complaints from members of the public have increased to 16% compared to 8% in 2007/08.

Nearly 15% of complaints related to charges of dishonesty including theft; fraud; false claim to registration with the NMC; falsification of records; failure to disclose previous convictions; sleeping whilst on duty; dishonesty about previous employment and; misappropriation of drugs.

Many complaints directly involve patients, most commonly concerning incidents of physical or verbal abuse and failure to communicate and respect the dignity of patients. Commenting on the increase in complaints from members of the public, Ian Todd, Director of Fitness to Practice, said:

"The NMC has seen a steady increase over the last few years in complaints from members of the public. We have no objective evidence to explain why the number of complaints has increased. However, members of the public have increasing expectations of the standards of care they should receive and we live in a consumer society in which people are more willing to complain when they have received poor care"

Mr Todd continued:

"The NMC has also worked hard over the last year to raise awareness of what standards patients and members of the public should expect from nurses and midwives through publications such as 'The Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives' and 'Guidance for the care of older people' - both of which are available from our website".

Mr Todd concluded:

"Although the increase in complaints is significant, it should not be a cause for particular alarm as these complaints represent just 0.2% of the 660,000 nurses and midwives on the register. However, we are not complacent and consider every complaint seriously and on its individual merits".

Source
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)