NMC 'deeply disappointed' that fitness to practise changes are left out of Queen's Speech

The Nursing and Midwifery Council said the government's failure to include legal measures in the Queen's Speech that could have reformed costly fitness to practise processes is a 'major setback'.

The nurse regulator's chief executive Jackie Smith said she was 'deeply disappointed' a bill had not been included in the government's legislative agenda for this parliament, as outlined today by the Queen. 

The NMC had hoped a government bill would have given it the power to deal with fitness to practise cases without the need for a full public hearing. The regulator spends around 77% of its income on these cases.

'There is an overwhelming consensus that our current legislation is hopelessly out of date, inefficient and costly,' Ms Smith said. 'It does not serve the public or the professions well.'