The NMC has launched a consultation into consensual disposal, which may lead to the change in a bid to reduce its backlog of cases.
One of the changes being considered is the option for those who admit the stated facts and agree their fitness to practise is impaired to voluntarily accept a sanction.
This agreement would then be considered by a fitness to practise panel, potentially removing the need for a full hearing.
Acting chief executive of the NMC Jackie Smith said: ‘The NMC is absolutely focused on making sure we carry out our fitness to practise functions in a way that is effective, fair, and above all in the public interest.
‘If these proposals go ahead we anticipate being able to save time and costs efficiency by minimising the number of hearing days.
‘Each hearing day costs several thousand pounds so these proposals would bring much needed efficiencies to the fitness to practise process.’
As part of the 12-week consultation, which has been launched this week, midwives are invited to share their thoughts on the review of fitness to practise case management.
The consultation will be open for comments until the end of July and can be found
here.
The news comes as the DH publishes a consultation on proposed changes to the NMC’s governance, following the interim report by the CHRE.
Key proposals include a reduction in the size of the council from 14 members to eight, with four registrant and four lay members.
The document states that it should still be possible to have members from all four countries of the UK.
It also includes proposed alterations to the period of membership of council members from six to eight years, in any 20 years, to bring the NMC in line with other regulators.
The consultation documents and draft legislation can be found
here.
