If you are in crisis, call 999 or go to A&E if your life is at risk, call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, or text SHOUT to 85258. For ongoing support, speak to your GP, use the NMC's independent Careline for people in fitness to practise, and ask your union about counselling. Routine, sleep and talking to someone you trust all help.
Key takeaways
- Urgent help: 999, Samaritans 116 123 (free, 24/7), text SHOUT to 85258, NHS 111.
- The NMC funds an independent, confidential Careline for professionals in FtP.
- Your GP can help, and telling them is confidential.
- Engaging with your case, with support, is usually less stressful than avoiding it.
Being investigated by your regulator can affect sleep, appetite, confidence and relationships. Many registrants describe feeling ashamed or isolated. If that is you, you are not alone, and looking after your mental health is not a luxury: it helps you get through the process and engage with it well.
Where can I get urgent help?
If you are thinking about ending your life or are worried you might harm yourself, get help now.
- Call 999 or go to A&E if your life is at immediate risk.
- Samaritans: call 116 123, free, 24 hours a day.
- Shout: text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential text support.
- NHS 111: for urgent mental health help, including out of hours.
Does the NMC offer emotional support?
Yes. The NMC funds an independent, confidential Careline for nurses, midwives and nursing associates who are going through fitness to practise. It is run by trained counsellors, available 24 hours a day, and can be used throughout your case and for a period after it ends. Details are included in NMC correspondence and on the NMC website.
Should I tell my GP?
If your mood, sleep or anxiety are affected, yes. Your GP can offer support, treatment or referral to talking therapies. Consultations are confidential. If you are worried about how health information is used in your case, ask your representative; health matters are usually handled in private by the NMC.
How can I look after myself day to day?
- Keep a routine: regular sleep, meals, movement and time outdoors.
- Set boundaries on case work: for example, one hour at a set time rather than all evening.
- Open NMC post with someone you trust, or at a time you can take a break afterwards.
- Limit late-night searching about outcomes; it rarely helps.
- Keep doing things that are not about the case.
Look after the person first. The case comes second.
Who else can I talk to?
Talking helps. Confide in people you trust, and consider support designed for your situation. Unions such as the RCN offer counselling services to members. Peer support from people who have been through FtP, such as NMCWatch, can reduce the isolation many people feel.
Our 1:1 mentorship offers confidential support from people who have been through the process, and how mentoring helps explains what to expect.
Does engaging with the case help?
Often, yes. Avoiding letters and deadlines can make anxiety worse and create new problems. Breaking the process into small, manageable steps, with support, can restore a sense of control. Knowing what happens next also helps.
Read how long an NMC investigation takes and our guide to the whole process. When you are ready to think about the future, the Rebuilding Confidence course covers the emotional impact of FtP, and the 30-day confidence journal offers gentle daily prompts.
What about after the case ends?
Relief is common, but so are delayed stress and low confidence, whatever the outcome. Give yourself time, keep using support, and see <a href='/articles/returning-to-nursing-after-nmc-suspension'>returning to nursing after suspension</a> if you are planning a return.
Frequently asked questions
Your GP, the NMC's independent Careline, your union's counselling service, peer support such as NMCWatch, and Samaritans (116 123) at any time.
Yes. The NMC funds an independent, confidential Careline for professionals going through fitness to practise, available 24 hours a day.
If it is affecting your health, yes. Your GP can offer support and treatment, and consultations are confidential.
Seeking help is not a fitness to practise concern in itself. If health is relevant to your case, take advice; health matters are usually heard in private.
