RCN comments on the creation of the Independent Safeguarding Authority

Published: 15 September 2009

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) today commented on government plans to implement the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) scheme on October 12th.

The scheme will require anybody who works or volunteers to work with children or vulnerable adults to register as part of the vetting and barring scheme. The cost per employee will be £64, in addition to professional regulation such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said:

"Nurses and other healthcare workers will be the first to recognise that the protection of children and vulnerable people is of paramount importance. However, the RCN has serious concerns about the cost of the scheme, the impact on volunteers, and crucially the duplication of regulation and potential unfairness of the barring process and appeal procedures. 
"This duplication will not only be costly, with nurses having to pay for NMC registration as well as ISA registration, at a cost of around £137, but may also be contradictory, with complaints to two separate bodies potentially resulting in different outcomes. This could leave both employers and staff in limbo, which would have a damaging effect on patient care. We are particularly concerned that the barring process may be unfair, without adequate safeguards against ill-founded allegations, and leaving nursing staff with no effective right of appeal.

"Public protection is an important duty and must be done in a fair, effective and efficient way."

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Notes for Editors

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Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.