Share your experience of raising, or deciding whether to raise, a concern about a nurse, midwife or nursing associate
DiversitiQ has been commissioned by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to carry out independent research exploring how people understand where to go when they have concerns about care involving a nurse, midwife or nursing associate.
We are particularly keen to hear from people who have previously raised a concern with the NMC, as we are completing the final stage of this research.
However, the research also remains open to people who:
had a concern but did not raise it with the NMC
raised their concern with another organisation, such as a hospital, healthcare provider or complaints service
decided not to raise their concern at all
Your experience can help us understand what makes it easier or harder for people to know where to go, what they expect to happen, and how information and support could be improved.
Interested in taking part?
You can complete the Expression of Interest form below. The form may take a few seconds to load.
If the form does not appear or you have any difficulty completing it, you can open the Expression of Interest form in a new window here.
About this research
DiversitiQ CIC has been commissioned by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to carry out independent research exploring how people decide where to go when they have a concern involving a nurse, midwife or nursing associate.
We want to understand what helps, or makes it harder, for people to:
recognise where their concern should be raised
understand the role of the NMC and other organisations
decide whether or not to speak up
find the right information and support
understand what might happen after raising a concern
We are interested in hearing about real experiences and real decisions, including from people who raised a concern with the NMC, people who went somewhere else, and people who decided not to raise their concern at all.
There are no right or wrong experiences. What matters is understanding what happened from your perspective and what could make the journey clearer for people in the future.
What does taking part involve?
We know that people communicate in different ways, so there are several ways you can take part. You can choose whichever feels most comfortable and accessible for you.
Take part in an interview
You can speak with a DiversitiQ researcher in an online interview lasting approximately one hour.
The conversation can take place using an online platform that works for you, or by telephone if you would prefer.
The interview is an opportunity to talk through your experience in your own words. We will guide the conversation with some questions, but there are no right or wrong answers and you do not need to prepare anything beforehand.
Complete a survey
If you would rather not take part in an interview, you can share your experience through our online survey.
You can provide your responses in writing or, where available, use voice responses if you find it easier to talk than type.
You can complete the survey in your own time and share as much or as little detail as you feel comfortable providing.
Entry into a prize draw
As a thank you for taking part, participants can choose to be entered into a prize draw for an Amazon gift card.
Entering the prize draw is completely optional. If you would like to enter, we will need to collect contact details so that we can contact you if you are selected as a winner.
You do not need to enter the prize draw to take part in the research, and choosing not to enter will not affect your participation.
How will what I say be used?
Your experiences will contribute to the overall findings and recommendations from the research.
We will look across the experiences shared by different participants to identify common themes, barriers and opportunities for improvement.
We will not identify you by name in our research findings or report. Where individual experiences or quotations are used to illustrate a finding, we will remove or change identifying details where necessary to reduce the risk of you or other individuals being identified.
Taking part is voluntary. You can choose what you are comfortable discussing and you do not have to answer any question you would prefer not to answer.
Who can take part?
We would like to hear from adults across the UK who have experienced a concern involving the care, conduct or practice of a nurse, midwife or nursing associate.
You may have:
raised your concern with the NMC
raised it somewhere else, such as with a hospital, healthcare provider or another organisation
considered contacting the NMC but decided not to
decided not to raise the concern at all
Your experience may relate to your own care or the care of someone else, such as a family member.
Have you previously raised a concern with the NMC?
We are particularly interested in hearing from people who have experience of the NMC's process as we complete this stage of the research.
This includes people whose concern progressed through the NMC process as well as those whose experience may have ended at an earlier stage.
You do not need to know whether your experience is "relevant enough". Complete the short Expression of Interest form and we can check this with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need to have raised a concern with the NMC?
No. We want to hear from people who raised a concern with the NMC, raised it somewhere else, or decided not to raise their concern at all.
We are currently particularly interested in hearing from people who have experience of raising a concern with the NMC, but you do not need to have contacted the NMC to take part.
2. Does the concern have to be about my own care?
No. Your experience can relate to care you received yourself or care received by someone else, such as a family member or someone you support.
The concern must involve a nurse, midwife or nursing associate.
3. What if I'm not sure whether my experience is relevant?
That's okay. You don't need to work this out yourself.
Complete the short Expression of Interest form and tell us a little about your experience. We can then confirm whether it fits within the research.
4. What will I be asked about?
We are interested in your experience of having a concern and the decisions you made afterwards.
Depending on your experience, this might include how you decided whether to raise the concern, where you looked for information or support, why you chose a particular organisation, what you understood about the NMC's role, and what made the process easier or more difficult.
We are interested in your experience and decision-making, rather than asking you to prove whether the original concern was right or wrong.
5. How can I take part?
You can take part through an online survey, with the option to provide written or voice responses, or through an interview lasting approximately one hour.
Interviews can take place online using a platform that works for you, or by telephone.
6. Do I have to prepare anything?
No. There is nothing you need to prepare and you do not need to find paperwork or evidence relating to your concern.
We simply want to hear about your experience in your own words.
7. Is taking part voluntary?
Yes. Taking part is completely voluntary.
You can choose what you are comfortable sharing and you do not have to answer a question if you would prefer not to.
8. Is DiversitiQ part of the NMC?
No. DiversitiQ CIC is an independent research and consultancy organisation.
The NMC has commissioned DiversitiQ to undertake this research, but the research is being carried out independently by our team.
9. Will the NMC know what I have said?
The findings from the research will be shared with the NMC to help inform its work.
Participants will not be identified by name in the research report. Where quotations or individual experiences are included, identifying information will be removed or changed where necessary to reduce the risk of individuals being identified.
10. Will taking part affect my NMC case or complaint?
This research is separate from the NMC's processes for considering individual concerns.
Taking part is an opportunity to share your experience for research purposes. It is not a route for submitting a new concern, reopening a previous case or asking for a decision about an individual case to be reviewed.
If you currently have an ongoing matter with the NMC, you should continue to communicate with the NMC through the appropriate channels about that matter.
11. Can I take part anonymously?
You may be able to complete parts of the research without providing identifying information. However, we will need contact details if you would like us to arrange an interview, contact you about your participation, or enter you into the prize draw.
Any contact information you provide will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Notice.
12. What is the prize draw?
As a thank you for taking part, participants can choose to enter a prize draw for an Amazon gift card.
Entry is optional. If you choose to enter, we will need contact details so that we can contact you if you are selected as a winner.
You can still participate in the research without entering the prize draw.
13. What if I need an adjustment or a different way to take part?
We want the research to be as accessible as possible.
If you need an adjustment or would find another way of participating easier, please tell us when completing the Expression of Interest form or contact the DiversitiQ team.
We will work with you to find an appropriate way for you to participate wherever reasonably possible.
14. How will my information be used?
Information you provide will be used for this research and to develop the overall findings and recommendations.
Further information about how we collect, store and use personal information can be found in the DiversitiQ Privacy Notice.
15. I have another question. Who can I contact?
If you are unsure about anything before deciding whether to take part, you can contact the DiversitiQ research team at support@diversitiq.org.