Job Title: Case Investigation Officer

Job description

Job title: Case Investigation Officer

Reporting to: Case Investigation Manager

Job Family: Regulatory Casework

Pay Level: C2

Role purpose

You will be responsible for the in-house investigation of allegations made against Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registrants, compilation of evidence for the Case Examiners and effective and efficient progression of the associated casework to enable the NMC to fulfil its statutory obligation to protect the public. You are responsible for ensuring that investigations are completed in a timely and proportionate manner.

You will assess and process individual cases to the Case Examiners in accordance with statutory processes and standard operating procedures using the NMC’s Case Management System (CMS). You will ensure that cases are managed to achieve high standards of customer care.

Key accountabilities

·  Conducts an efficient, proportionate and effective NMC case investigation and case progression process

·  Delivers excellent customer service to NMC’s stakeholders

·  Ensures continuous improvement of NMC’s Fitness to Practise (FtP) case progression and investigations processes and operations.

Case investigation and progression

·  Investigates and progresses an allocated caseload of individual cases through their life cycle from receipt to the Case Examiners in accordance with statutory processes, using the NMC systems. The postholder must ensure that cases are managed effectively and efficiently to high standards of customer care and within timescales specified within directorate key performance indicators

·  Reviews each case allocated and provides the Case Investigation Manager (CIM) or Investigations Lawyer with a draft investigation plan for sign-off

·  Plans and manages own investigation caseload, identifying the appropriate scope and nature of the investigations, ensuring discussions and progress are reported on the CMS and on a regular basis to the CIM.

·  Liaises with the CIM/ and or Head of Investigations and NMC media team to determine cases that might attract media or political interest, in accordance with NMC disclosure policy

·  Acts as a named point of contact for registrants, witnesses and other stakeholders during the investigation period. After the Case Examiners, ensures these stakeholders are directed to a new point of contact, if required

·  Conducts enquiries as outlined in the investigation plan and is alert to new issues/lines of enquiry as appropriate

·  Conducts witness interviews and drafts witness statements

·  Analyses information received to determine on an ongoing basis whether a registrant’s fitness to practise is impaired and at the conclusion of the investigation prepares a report and charges for review by Investigations Lawyer/CIM prior to submission to the Case Examiners

·  Delegates tasks to the Case Investigation Administrator (CIA) and check all CIA’s work before it is dispatched

·  Checks notice has been served for the Case Examiners and that the CIA has prepared materials in accordance with the legislative requirements and FtP standard operating procedures (SOPs)

·  Continually reviews evidence, allegations and key facts of the case throughout the investigation process

·  Ensures that external stakeholders are regularly updated on the status of the investigation

·  Identifies risks and complexities within the cases on a regular basis and ensures advice is taken and documented from the appropriate professional. Ensures that the risk and complexity ratings of a case are formally considered with the CIM

·  Manages interim order (IO) progression and reviews and presents status reports to the CIM weekly. Where appropriate ensure that IOs are sought as and when circumstances change in line with legislative timescales

·  Ensures that case files, hardcopy and electronic files are set up, contain all relevant information relating to the case, are kept up to date on CMS and are accurate

·  Ensures the confidentiality of information as required, during the case progression and investigation process in accordance with the FtP SOPs, including whilst dealing with registrant and witnesses

·  Ensure that data protection principles are observed during the investigation of referrals and when disclosing material obtained during the investigation

·  Takes delegated responsibility for authorising expenditure and budget within agreed parameters.

Management information

·  Maintains databases and updates all required information within the CMS to allow a caseload to be monitored

·  Uses Management Information to inform and drive forward continuous improvement of the case management and investigations process.

Customer service standards

·  Delivers a high quality service to all customers, both internal and external through effective and efficient management of investigation processes

·  Ensures all written and oral communication with external stakeholders is clear, consistent, sufficient, appropriate and relevant.

Communications and team membership

·  Liaises regularly and proactively with other members of the FtP directorate

·  Assists in delivering presentations if required (eg during induction training sessions) using NMC agreed format and content

·  Attends and participates in FtP and investigation team meetings

·  Assists in the training of colleagues as required and indicated by the CIM

·  Attends and participates in development activities within FtP and cross NMC directorate activities as appropriate.

Fitness to practise directorate

·  Identifies opportunities for continuous improvement in the FtP directorate and proactively follows through

·  Identifies the need for and contributes to training updates within the FtP directorate

·  Adheres to FtP SOPs to support achievement of the key performance indicators

·  Assists in the development of the CMS and other IT systems/manuals in support of continuous improvement within the FtP directorate.

Standard responsibilities

Other responsibilities

There are a number of standard duties and responsibilities that all employees, irrespective of their role and level of seniority within the NMC, are expected to be familiar with and adhere to.

·  Comply at all times with the requirements of health and safety regulations to ensure their own wellbeing and that of their colleagues.

·  Promote and comply with NMC policies on diversity and equality both in the delivery of services and treatment of others.

·  Ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and its amendments.

·  Comply with NMC protocols on the appropriate use of telephone, email and internet facilities.

·  Comply with the principles of risk management in relation to individual and corporate responsibilities.

·  Comply with NMC policies and procedures as compiled on the organisation’s intranet.

This job description is not exhaustive and as such the post holder is expected to be flexible. Any changes will only be made following a discussion with the post holder.

Person specification

Job title: Case Investigation Officer

Qualifications and experience

·  Qualified to degree level or equivalent or have relevant substantive vocational experience

·  Experience of managing caseload type activities and handling competing priorities.

·  Demonstrable investigative experience, not necessarily in a regulatory setting

·  Experience of working in a complex office environment

·  Experience in a regulatory body or similar organisation

Skills, knowledge and abilities

·  Knowledge of the role and responsibilities of professional regulators, preferably in the health sector

·  Knowledge of quality assurance processes and performance indicators

·  Well-developed analytical skills

·  An understanding of the NMC’s statutory responsibility to protect the public through its fitness to practise procedures’

·  Able to understand and interpret current case law and complex legislation

·  Well-developed communication skills, demonstrable in written and verbal English

·  Proficient in the use of a range of IT programmes

·  Able to take accurate notes in meetings and have good drafting skills

·  Able to convey with credibility difficult messages to a wide range of stakeholders

·  Able to manage in a complex environment independently and meet tight deadlines

·  Demonstrable ability to plan, prioritise and multi-task

·  Able to manage multiple stakeholders

·  Able to work collaboratively as part of a team of CIOs and with other key NMC colleagues

·  Ability to travel within the UK (if needed), including occasional weekends and bank holidays

·  Awareness of the rules and regulations applicable to nursing and midwifery fitness to practise.

Personal qualities

·  Highly-motivated and able to work independently and as part of team

·  Well-organised and able to problem solve

·  Demonstrates a high level of integrity, patience, resilience, confidence and professionalism in dealing with pressured, unpredictable and sensitive situations and, at times, differing points of view

·  Committed to continuously improving the day to day operations of the investigation team, the FtP directorate and the wider NMC.

Fitness to Practise April 2014 Page 2 of 5