Revealed: Training blunder leads to nursing graduate delay as regulator under fire

The UK's under-fire nursing regulator is being forced to investigate fears that a third of universities may have released trainee nurses to work in hospitals despite failing to carry out hundreds of hours of mandatory training.

- REBECCA THOMAS

The potential failure comes after the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) allegedly ignored warnings from universities about the problem three years ago, with the body only now taking action.

The blunder means an unknown number of nurses may have been sent to work in hospitals without the required amount of experience, and hundreds of student nurses have already had their graduation date delayed, leaving some concerned about public safety.

It is the latest challenge for the regulator following a damning report into the NMC, which The Independent revealed last week found is endangering the public due to its toxic culture and turning a blind eye to serious sexual, physical and racist abuse.

The review, sparked by this publication's reports of a whistleblower's allegations, also warned that nurses and midwives are being harmed by the NMC's delayed and flawed investigation processes - at least six nurses were found to have taken their own lives while under investigation last year.

Thirty out of 98 universities are now facing reviews by the NMC into how they have monitored the qualifications of student nurses and midwives.

Students are required to carry out 2,300 hours of training but could be hundreds of hours short. However, this does not necessarily mean they are not safe to practice. Student nurses are overseen by a supervisor in their first year of work.