High Court quashes nurse's strike-off, criticises NMC

A nurse who spent a decade defending herself against unfounded allegations has had her name cleared after the High Court quashed a strike-off order and delivered a stinging critique of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Mildred Wiley, from Armagh in Northern Ireland, ran two residential homes for people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions. In 2013, she was reported to the NMC over allegations of fraud relating to food and transport. Four residents were removed from her care, but nothing was ever proved. The police even apologised after investigating a complaint.

The case dragged on for ten years. At one point, after her legal funding ran out, her husband Norman stepped in to defend her. The NMC relied on a safeguarding report that was never properly investigated, and an outsourced legal firm, Blake Morgan, concluded there was no case to answer. Yet the NMC pressed on, and in 2023 Wiley was struck off.

Following an appeal, the High Court quashed the order in full and reinstated her to the register. The judge was highly critical of the NMC, describing a refusal to disclose some documents as "fundamentally flawed" and based on erroneous legal advice. He said the NMC "got the test for disclosure wrong in multiple respects" and warned that this could represent a wider problem within the organisation.

The NMC's chief executive, Paul Rees, issued a statement accepting the judgment and saying he was "very sorry" to Mrs Wiley for the irregularities in her case. He did not specify what those irregularities were, and the apology was sent by email only after media contact. Rees also acknowledged that the case reflected "a difficult period" in the NMC's history, referring to an independent review two years ago that found a toxic and bullying culture.

Catherine Watters, who runs NMC Watch, a support group for nurses facing fitness-to-practice panels, said common themes in appeal court findings included overuse of dishonesty charges, lack of disclosure, and a tendency to focus on evidence that supports the NMC's case rather than conducting a neutral investigation.

A 2025 review by the Professional Standards Authority found the NMC met only nine of 18 good practice standards, two fewer than the previous year, and that it still took too long to deal with cases. The NMC responded that it was resolving around 74% of cases within 15 months and that transformation takes time.

MP Andy McNay, who has met the NMC after a constituent also successfully appealed a strike-off, said there was recognition of failures within the current team but that "people have been profoundly failed over the years."

Mildred Wiley said the ordeal still plays on her mind, especially the removal of the four residents based on a safeguarding report that later proved unsafe. She hopes her case will protect other nurses. "If this case protects future nurses, then I'm happy," she said.