Some Nigerian nurses under investigation for fraud at a UK test center have been ordered to leave the country, despite pending appeals, Nursing Times has reported.
Letters from the Home Office, seen by the publication, instruct some nurses to leave as early as next week after their visas were revoked due to allegations made by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The NMC has faced criticism over delays in processing hearings, with some nurses and advocacy groups accusing the regulator of deliberately stalling proceedings to allow deportations. Pastor Peters Omoragbon, executive president of Nurses Across The Borders, suggested that the delays were intentional, stating, “The NMC could be accused of deliberate delay so that these nurses could lose their rights of abode here in the UK.” The NMC has denied any deliberate delays, asserting that it is working to resolve cases as swiftly as possible.
The situation stems from a 2023 NMC investigation into Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria, where data anomalies suggested that some nurses may have obtained their Computer-Based Test (CBT) results fraudulently. The CBT is a key component of the competence test required for international nurses to register in the UK. The NMC claimed that some 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants likely acquired their results through fraudulent means, potentially using proxy testers.
Following the investigation, all affected individuals were asked to re-sit the CBT, while those suspected of fraud had to provide further evidence. For those already on the register, cases were referred to the NMC’s independent Investigating Committee (IC), while applications from new registrants were reviewed by an assistant registrar (AR). So far, 10 nurses have been removed from the register following IC hearings, while two were allowed to remain. Of 200 applications reviewed by the AR, 191 were refused on character grounds, while only nine were accepted.
In February, 50 nurses, represented by Broad Street Solicitors and backed by Nurses Across The Borders, served the NMC with a pre-action protocol letter, demanding that it liaise with the Home Office to prevent deportations before appeals are concluded. They also called for a full reconsideration of cases after one nurse, identified as Nurse D, successfully appealed against her removal. Nurse D argued that her extensive preparation and clinical experience enabled her to complete the CBT quickly, convincing the panel to overturn the NMC’s decision and reinstate her.
Despite this, the NMC has stated that the findings in Nurse D’s case do not alter the broader evidence of irregularities at the test center. It insists that all cases are assessed individually, taking into account both personal explanations and the statistical anomalies that prompted the investigation.
Broad Street Solicitors has warned that if the NMC fails to act within 14 days, it will proceed with judicial review proceedings, seeking legal costs from the regulator. Meanwhile, the NMC has confirmed that it has contacted the Home Office for further information but declined to discuss ongoing legal matters.
Lesley Maslen, the NMC’s executive director of professional regulation, acknowledged the distress caused by the investigation but emphasized the importance of ensuring that all registered nurses meet professional standards. “We know it’s in everyone’s best interests for hearings to be held as swiftly and safely as possible,” she said, adding that the regulator is working closely with all parties to expedite the process.
Source: Linda Ikeji Blog
