Professional regulation. Part 7b: CHRE report and the NMC response.

The previous article in the series explored political and procedural mechanisms that have a direct bearing on the ability of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to undertake its statutory functions. The issue of a recent debate in the House of Commons was mentioned, with a view to discussing the nature of that enquiry in this article. This article reviews a recent report by the Centre for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence into the internal affairs of the NMC, to identify the reasons why the personal behaviours of a small group of individuals the council members of the NMC and the staff of the organization should impact on the way in which the Government and the public view all nurses.