Nigerian Nurses In The UK Appeal To Health Secretary Over Alleged Exam Fraud Claims

Nigerian nurses working in the UK are appealing to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to address what they describe as an “injustice” after the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) accused them of cheating on their competency exams due to unusually fast completion times.

The allegations surfaced when Pearson VUE, the NMC’s exam provider, flagged irregular testing patterns at Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria, where the test completion times were reportedly much quicker than the global average. In response, the NMC restricted over 500 nurses from practising, with many forced to take lower-paying care roles while they wait for the issue to be resolved.

In a letter to the Health Secretary, affected nurses argued that the NMC’s blanket punishment unfairly penalized all test-takers from the Ibadan centre. “Many of us have lost our jobs, livelihoods, and reputations,” the letter reads. Despite Pearson VUE finding no evidence of system or technical errors, it cited “proxy testing” as a probable cause of the irregularities, concluding that nearly 50 registered professionals and 669 applicants likely received fraudulent scores.

Nurses have countered, explaining that due to frequent power outages in Nigeria, they developed strategies to complete online exams quickly. Many have since retaken the tests in the UK, achieving similar times without needing to cheat.

This predicament has impacted hundreds of Nigerian nurses who made significant sacrifices to pursue careers in the UK, with some taking loans or selling assets to relocate. “My career has been on hold for over 13 months,” shared one affected nurse. “I face constant bullying and shame in the workplace, even after retaking and passing the new test.” Another nurse recounted feeling devastated, saying, “My dream of being an international nurse has been shattered.”

Several nurses also reported they were unaware of the issue until after arriving in the UK to start their jobs, only to have their practice status suspended. Appeals have been filed, but many nurses say they are still waiting for resolutions. The NMC’s chief executive, Andrea Sutcliffe, acknowledged the distress caused but emphasized the council’s commitment to a thorough review process, citing the need to “protect the integrity of the register.”

The surge of Nigerian-trained nurses in the UK highlights the critical role international health professionals play. Over 12,000 Nigerian nurses registered in the UK in the first half of 2023, up from 1,670 during the same period the previous year. The NMC continues to evaluate applications while nurses await a potential response from the Health Secretary, hoping for a resolution that could restore their careers.