What this means
Start with the exact decision in front of you.
Screening considers whether the concern falls within the NMC's remit and whether regulatory action may be needed. Local action and regulatory action serve different functions and should not be assumed to produce identical outcomes.
Immediate priorities
Organise the position before responding.
Secure the referral and local-investigation record
Identify any current practice or safeguarding arrangements
Separate historical criticism from present risk
Detailed guidance
The procedure, evidence and possible route from here.
01
Screening asks whether regulatory action is needed
The NMC screening stage considers whether a concern about a nurse, midwife or nursing associate falls within its fitness-to-practise role and suggests ongoing risk requiring regulatory action. Many matters can be managed more appropriately by an employer or another body. Screening is not a final finding that events occurred or that fitness to practise is impaired. It is an early decision about remit, available information and the need for further regulatory work.
The NMC identifies patient safety, public confidence and professional standards as relevant dimensions of ongoing risk. Factors can include seriousness, an isolated event or pattern, dishonesty, duty of candour, bullying, discrimination, harassment, leadership failings and evidence of harm. The list does not predetermine a case. The response should explain the specific facts, local action and current safeguards, rather than rely on a general claim that the professional has an otherwise good record.
- Identify the public-protection concern said to arise
- Distinguish an isolated event from an evidenced pattern
- Explain relevant local action and safeguards
02
Provide enough evidence for the screening question
An early response can identify records, employer findings, policies, training and changes made since the event. Preserve original documents and use a separate chronology to explain them. If the employer has not completed its investigation, state that accurately and avoid presenting preliminary views as final findings. Equally, an employer decision does not bind the NMC because the two processes have different roles and may receive different evidence. Its practical significance must still be assessed against the individual evidence and procedural stage.
Context such as staffing, supervision, systems, health or disability may affect how risk is understood. It should be supported and should identify what the professional could and could not control. A useful account considers patient or colleague impact while preserving any genuine factual dispute. Unsupported allegations that a referral is malicious rarely answer the screening test, although reliable evidence about source, consistency or motive may affect the weight of information.
- Use a neutral chronology and preserved source records
- Label preliminary employer material accurately
- Connect context to facts and current risk
03
Screening can also identify urgent interim risk
The NMC carries out an initial risk assessment and can refer a case for an interim order hearing where practice may need temporary restriction. An interim referral is separate from deciding the merits. If the notice mentions conditions or suspension, identify the alleged immediate risk and collect current workplace evidence promptly. Delay can matter because interim hearings are arranged to address urgent public-protection concerns. The current notice and official process remain the controlling reference points for that assessment.
If the matter proceeds to investigation, the NMC may gather further information before case examiners decide whether it should close, resolve through another outcome or reach the Fitness to Practise Committee. Keep the screening file intact and record any changes in allegation or scope. A case that moves forward should be reassessed at each stage rather than answered by repeatedly submitting the same generic response. That distinction prevents a general explanation from being mistaken for case-specific legal advice.
- Treat an interim-order referral as a separate urgent process
- Preserve the screening submission and decision
- Update the response when the concern or evidence changes
Key questions
Keep the analysis tied to this stage.
Whether the concern is sufficiently serious
Whether there is evidence of ongoing risk
Whether another body or local process is better placed to act
Advice is provided only by the regulated firm that accepts a matter.
Common questions
Clarifying the route without assuming the outcome.
Does NMC screening decide that a nurse is guilty?
No. Screening considers remit and ongoing risk at an early stage. Facts and impairment are determined later if the case progresses.
Can an employer handle a concern without NMC action?
Some concerns are more appropriately managed locally, but the NMC decides whether its own public-protection role is engaged on the information it receives.
Connected guidance
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Use the hub for the full sequence or choose the connected route that matches the notice.
Official sources
Check the material for this question.
Sources checked 19 September 2026. Rules change, so compare the current notice and linked official material and tell the operator if a citation or summary needs correction.