NMC independent culture review - UNISON response, summer 2025

UNISON reported last year that it was ‘dismayed and angered’ by the findings of the independent culture review into the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which identified that many staff do not feel safe speaking up and that many are the victims of bullying and discrimination, and which validated many concerns raised by UNISON members.

This update assesses the performance of the NMC against the expectations of UNISON set out in July 2024, and draws from feedback from UNISON
representatives at the NMC, consultation with elected UNISON nursing and
midwifery representatives and direct scrutiny of NMC policy and reports.

UNISON officers and workplace representatives at the NMC have worked together since then to scrutinise the NMC and to challenge them to improve.

UNISON welcomes the programme of coaching of leaders and the doubling of funding for learning and development and improved training to minimise bias in
recruitment procedures. New dignity at work and bullying and harassment policies have also been agreed with UNISON representatives.

UNISON believes that the professional support and engagement team that now leads on providing support for those being investigated must be made permanent, that the NMC Careline should be better publicised to registrants, and that meaningful partnership working with union representatives should be enshrined as essential to the embedding of a positive workplace culture.