Former nursing watchdog chief said 'whistleblower can go take a running jump'

The former chief executive of the UK’s scandal-hit nursing regulator allegedly said a whistleblower should “take a running jump” after they raised concerns about public safety.

- REBECCA THOMAS

Multiple concerns have been raised about the former chief executive for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Andrea Sutcliffe, over alleged inappropriate language used about a whistleblower who spoke out last year about public safety, according to a letter seen by The Independent.

In a meeting weeks after the staff member spoke out, Ms Sutcliffe is claimed to have said in a senior leadership meeting that the worker “can go and take a running jump”, that she was “fuming” with them for raising concerns and that they were “widely off the mark”.

Ms Sutcliffe allegedly said to health leaders: “I can give you comfort that there are no huge problems.”

Her alleged comments have been revealed in a letter sent by the whistleblower to the NMC, the Department for Health and Social Care, the Professional Standards Authority and the Charity Commission this week. Concerns about the remarks were raised to NMC chair Sir David Warren, who has been accused of failing to act, according to the letter.

Ms Sutcliffe sent a letter to the chair last year, apologising for “losing her temper” and using inappropriate language.

The latest allegations come after