Some Nigerian nurses under investigation for alleged exam fraud at a UK test center have been ordered to leave the country, despite ongoing appeals, Nursing Times reports.
Letters from the UK Home Office, seen by the publication, instruct several nurses to leave as early as next week after their visas were revoked due to allegations from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The NMC has faced criticism for delays in processing hearings, with some nurses and advocacy groups accusing the regulator of intentionally stalling proceedings to facilitate deportations. Pastor Peters Omoragbon, executive president of Nurses Across The Borders, suggested that the delays were deliberate, stating, “The NMC could be accused of deliberate delay so that these nurses could lose their rights of abode here in the UK.” The NMC has denied these claims, asserting that it is working to resolve cases as quickly as possible.
The controversy dates back to a 2023 NMC investigation into the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria. Data irregularities at the center suggested that some nurses may have fraudulently obtained their Computer-Based Test (CBT) results, a key component of the UK’s nursing registration process. The NMC identified 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants as potentially involved in the alleged fraud, with suspicions of proxy testers being used. As a result, all affected individuals were required to retake the CBT, and those suspected of misconduct had to provide additional evidence.
For those already on the NMC register, cases were referred to an independent Investigating Committee (IC), while new applicants had their cases reviewed by an assistant registrar (AR). So far, 10 nurses have been removed from the register following IC hearings, while two were allowed to remain. Out of 200 applications reviewed by the AR, 191 were rejected on character grounds, with only nine approved.
In February, 50 nurses, represented by Broad Street Solicitors and supported by Nurses Across The Borders, sent a pre-action protocol letter to the NMC, demanding that it work with the Home Office to halt deportations until all appeals are resolved. They also called for case reconsideration after one nurse, identified as Nurse D, successfully overturned her removal. Nurse D argued that her clinical experience and extensive preparation allowed her to complete the CBT quickly, persuading the panel to reinstate her. Despite this, the NMC insists that her case does not undermine broader evidence of irregularities at the test center and maintains that each case is assessed individually, based on both personal explanations and statistical anomalies.
Broad Street Solicitors has warned that if the NMC fails to respond within 14 days, it will initiate judicial review proceedings and seek legal costs from the regulator. Meanwhile, the NMC has confirmed discussions with the Home Office but declined to comment on ongoing legal matters.
Lesley Maslen, the NMC’s executive director of professional regulation, acknowledged the distress caused by the investigation but stressed the importance of maintaining professional standards. “We know it’s in everyone’s best interests for hearings to be held as swiftly and safely as possible,” she said, adding that the NMC is working closely with all parties to expedite the process.
