Posted 27 March 2024 - 16:20
Posted 27 March 2024 - 16:20
News
Two nurses removed from NMC register for test fraud
Two nurses have been removed from the register after Nursing and Midwifery Council found evidence of fraudulent computer-based tests at a centre in Nigeria
Two nurses have been removed from the register after Nursing and Midwifery Council found evidence of fraudulent computer-based tests at a centre in Nigeria
Two nurses involved in the widespread fraud at a Nigerian test centre have been removed from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register, as hearings are launched by the nursing regulator.
The NMC began individual registration hearings on 19 March involving 48 registrants that the regulator suspects obtained their registration fraudulently.
NMC panel said that both nurses had undertaken their competence tests ‘exceptionally fast’
Following two separate hearings in London, adult nurse Busayo Tosin Akinola and mental health nurse Folashade Tolulope Onibudo have now been removed from the register. They have 28 days to appeal the decision before they are removed.
In their determinations, the NMC panel said that Ms Akinola and Ms Onibudo had undertaken their tests at the Yunnik Technologies test centre ‘exceptionally fast.’
The computer-based competence test (CBT) is split into two parts – first a numeracy test lasting 30 minutes, and second a clinical test lasting two hours and 30 minutes.
The panel report said that data showed Ms Onibudo had completed the first test in less than four minutes.
It said: ‘On 16 March 2022, you completed the CBT at the Yunnik centre. According to the data, you completed the numeracy test in 3.73 minutes and the clinical test in 17 minutes. It is the NMC’s case that the reason you were able to complete the test so quickly was that it was undertaken using fraud.’ Ms Onibudo denied the charge.
An exact time was not given for Ms Akinola’s test, but in her retest she was ‘significantly slower.’
The panels found that ‘the only appropriate action is to direct that your entries be removed.’
Nursing regulator uncovered fraudulent activities at competence test centre in Nigeria
Five further hearings involving registrants are scheduled for the coming weeks, with the remaining 41 hearings planned in due course.
The nursing regulator uncovered extensive fraudulent activity at the Yunnik Technologies test centre in Nigeria – where international nurses take a CBT that they must pass to apply to be on the UK register – last year.
After concerns were raised by test provider Pearson Vue in May 2023, an investigation uncovered hundreds of potential applicants to the register, possibly obtaining fraudulent results.
Evidence of individuals sitting nurse competency test as proxies in place of applicants
The NMC’s initial investigation found evidence of individuals sitting the tests as proxies in place of the applicants.
In total the fraud investigation affected 1,955 candidates who took their CBT at the test centre, with all their tests invalidated and individuals expected to retake the test to join or rejoin the register.
Of the group, 515 were already on the register and a further 1,238 candidates were applicants wishing to join the register.
As of the end of February, 1,397 candidates had rebooked or retaken the CBT test, with 96% (448) of the registrants who were already on the register with no fraud concerns now successfully retesting and joining the register.
Applications are being reviewed by an assistant registrar, who has refused at least 80 applications where the NMC considered it was ‘more likely than not’ that the applicant’s test result was obtained fraudulently.
The refusals are on the basis that the character requirements are not met, in that they were obtained dishonestly. The NMC say s significant number of these individuals are choosing to appeal or make a new application.
Nursing regulator confident that the testing process is robust
In a council meeting held on Wednesday 27 March, the NMC’s chief executive Andrea Sutcliffe said that ‘a tremendous amount of work’ had been undertaken to probe into the allegations and to prepare for the hearings, which are now underway.
In her executive report published in council papers, Ms Sutcliffe added: ‘We have established an oversight process for assurance around computer-based testing so we and the public can have confidence that the testing process is robust and professionals passing the CBT have the right knowledge to deliver safe care for people.
‘This involves meeting with Pearson Vue, our test provider, monthly to review their enhanced monitoring and security report and data, so we can work with them if there are any concerns identified.’
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