Almost 50 overseas trained nurses and midwives in the UK who 'likely' qualified fraudulently are still being allowed to treat patients while under investigation, MailOnline can reveal.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) today confirmed that 48 Nigerian professionals are suspected of paying someone to a sit computer-based exam that tests medical knowledge and is needed to work in Britain.

The NMC said it was 'more likely than not' that those it has identified obtained their result fraudulently.

However, the regulator told MailOnline that they will still be allowed to treat patients while investigations are underway — though not all are necessarily working in healthcare.

Thinktanks today slammed the decision, saying the regulator had a 'duty to protect patients' and their decision could see 'incompetent individuals threaten the health of adults and new-borns'.

The 48 people identified sat the exam, which covers drug dosage calculations and clinical questions for health issues like diabetes, at the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, south west Nigeria.

An investigation by the NMC found 'evidence of widespread fraudulent activity' at the centre, meaning all the test results it has issued have now been deemed invalid.

While doubts were initially cast over 515 nurses and midwives who were tested at centre, the NMC narrowed the list of 'likely' fraudulent applicants down to 48.

These nurses and midwives will have their case assessed by an independently appointed panel to decide if they gained fraudulent entry to the NMC register.

If the panel determines they did, they would be removed from register losing the right to work as nurse or midwife in the UK.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12545343/nurses-midwives-Nigeria-working-UK-exam-results-fraudulen.html

See also story covered in Punch: https://punchng.com/exam-results-uk-nursing-council-raises-concern-over-widespread-fraud-in-ibadan-centre/