Responding to a complaint to NMBI

If a complaint is made about you to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) it will be assigned to a case officer. The case officer assists the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC) to manage the complaint and to carry out any investigations. The case officer will keep you updated in relation to any decision made by the PPC or the Board regarding whether or not the complaint warrants further action.

If you are the subject of a complaint, you should contact your representative body and / or obtain legal advice before corresponding with NMBI in relation to the complaint.

NMBI is aware that you will be feeling stressed and worried while the complaint is being processed. Although the PPC must make reasonable efforts to deal with it expeditiously, the time required to process a complaint can vary, depending on how complex the complaint is and if any other investigations initiated by other bodies or authorities are in progress.

In addition, you and / or your representative may request an extension of time to respond to a complaint. Referral of the complaint to the Fitness to Practise Committee (FTPC) for an inquiry will also add to the duration of the complaints process.

What happens when a complaint is received is outlined in detail on:

• The Complaints process page
• The Grounds for Complaints page
• The PPC page

Stages in process

The Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 stipulates that the complaints process may consist of the following stages:

• A complaint is made to the PPC, leading to an investigation and a decision on whether or not further action is required
• An inquiry into the complaint is held (depending on the outcome of the previous stage)
• A decision is made about whether or not the allegations are proven and what action should be taken
• The sanction is confirmed by the High Court, if necessary.

All complaints received by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) in relation to registered nurses and registered midwives are referred to the PPC. The PPC will consider all the information relating to the complaint and form an opinion as to whether there is sufficient cause to warrant further action. If the PPC is of the view that there is sufficient cause, then it will refer the matter to the FTPC for an inquiry.

The role of the FTPC is to consider all the relevant evidence at an inquiry and to make a decision in respect of any allegations made against the nurse or midwife. When the inquiry has been completed, the FPC must submit a report on its findings to the Board of NMBI.

Booklet for nurses and midwives

To assist nurses and midwives who are subject to a complaint, NMBI has prepared a booklet called What to do if a complaint is made about you. It outlines the complaints process, giving evidence to a Fitness to Practise inquiry and the sanctions that can be imposed.