Pupillage

Salary: £22,238 - £26,162 per annum (dependant on experience)
12 Month Fixed Term Contract
London (Stratford)


About us


The Nursing and Midwifery Council (‘NMC’) is the professional regulator for nurses and midwives in the UK, and nursing associates in England. We are the largest healthcare regulator in the UK, and we have four main roles:
1. We maintain the register of nurses and midwives who meet the requirements for registration in the UK, and nursing associates who meet the requirements for registration in England.
2. We set the requirements of the professional education that supports people to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for entry to, or annotation on, our register.
3. We shape the practice of the professionals on our register by developing and promoting standards including our Code, and we promote lifelong learning through revalidation.
4. Where serious concerns are raised about a nurse, midwife or nursing associate’s fitness to practise, we can investigate and, if needed, take action.


Fitness to Practise


Being fit to practise requires a nurse, midwife or nursing associate to have the skills, knowledge, health and character to do their job safely and effectively. The Code sets out the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must uphold to be registered to practise in the UK. We will investigate whether someone on our register is fit to practise if an allegation is made that they do not meet our standards for skills, education and behaviour.

The NMC’s fitness to practise work sits within the larger Professional Regulation directorate.


Case Preparation and Presentation (‘CPP’) team


The pupil will mostly be based within the directorate’s CPP team, which has the largest number of Lawyers and Paralegals within the NMC. The legal team review, prepare and present fitness to practise cases before the NMC’s practice committees. The hearings are very varied, and include new interim orders, interim order reviews, substantive hearings and substantive order reviews. The team also files applications to the High Court in each of the UK’s jurisdictions in relation to interim order extensions requiring Court approval as well as conducting the advocacy before Judges. Finally, the team advises on appeals brought by registrants and the Professional Standards Authority, and again the lawyers conduct the advocacy.

The NMC is currently authorised by the Bar Standards Board as a pupillage training organisation.


Pupillage structure


The pupil will be employed by the NMC on a fixed term contract for 12 months. In advance of the end date, we will explore with the pupil the possibility of continuing their employment with the NMC. We have an excellent recent track record of pupils staying with us once the pupillage has been completed.

The pupil will undertake the NMC’s standard induction, as well as specialised induction to the CPP team and the work of other legal teams across the directorate. The pupillage will be conducted and assessed in accordance with the Pupillage Handbook and the NMC’s bespoke pupillage programme.

During the course of the pupillage, there will be the opportunity to spend periods of time with other legal teams across the NMC. There may also be the opportunity for the pupil to be seconded for up to a month to a set of Chambers to gain experience of the self-employed Bar.

It is likely the pupil will have two different supervisors during the course of the pupillage to reflect the difference in work between the first six and the second six.

During the first six, the pupil will undertake the full range of NMC legal work under supervision. Within the CPP team, this includes:

• Legal research, advice, and drafting;
• Reviews of cases which have been referred to Fitness to Practise Committee;
• Preparation for hearings;
• Advocacy in non-substantive hearings before NMC Practice Committees; and
• Assisting with the management of cases in the High Court.

The pupil will be expected to attend all types of hearings to observe advocacy by the pupil supervisor and other advocates.

In the second six, the pupil will continue to work on cases and undertake advocacy under supervision in both substantive and non-substantive matters.


Application details


Applicants must either have their BPTC results at the time of application or be about to receive them. Applicants should have been assessed, or expect to be assessed, as “very competent” or above. The key person specification criteria is as follows:

• Strong academic record
• Commitment to a career at the Employed Bar
• Confident advocacy skills
• Excellent written and presentation skills (legal and non-legal)
• Excellent legal research and analytical skills
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to develop a rapport and obtain client confidence
• Solid understanding of principles of evidence
• Excellent organisation, time management and record keeping skills
• Ability to maintain high standards of professional conduct and presentation
• Ability to work under supervision and respond positively to direction, instruction and advice
• Good IT skills
• Highly motivated and flexible
• A good team player
• Able to travel and work out of office hours as required

It would also be desirable for applicants to have experience of/interest in regulatory law (and preferably healthcare) and an understanding of the professional regulation framework.

If you wish to apply for this position, please visit the careers page on the NMC website from 4 January 2021 onwards when the advert will go live in accordance with the BSB Pupillage Gateway timetable. If you have any queries, please email recruitment@nmc-uk.org and mark the subject heading “Pupillage 2021 Application”. Closing date for applications: applications must be completed by 11am on Monday 8 February 2021.