Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hours of staff time are taken up by the average Nursing and Midwifery Council disciplinary process.

The Department does not hold this information centrally. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. The UK's model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.

All registered health and social care professions in the UK pay an annual registration fee to their regulatory body. Registrant fees are used to fund the NMC's operations, including its fitness to practise processes. Being funded by registrant fees enables the NMC to maintain its independence, allowing it to take action if it identifies risks to patient safety or the public’s confidence in the profession.