BBC Scotland today, typically, have been making much of a single, unacceptable I know, case in a care home for the elderly:

The daughter of an 85-year-old care home resident who was photographed while she was partially naked by a carer has called the incident a “violation”. Police are investigating a claim that “inappropriate images” were taken at the Kingsacre Care Home at Duntocher in Clydebank in March this year.

The elderly woman’s daughter, Catherine, told the BBC her mother, who has dementia, would be “disgusted” if she knew the photo had been taken and shared with another person. The incident came to light after an anonymous whistleblower raised the alarm several months later. The care home confirmed the carer no longer works there. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c05qgj2z999o

Note that the carer no longer works there. Why have they moved? The Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme managed by Disclosure Scotland, unlike the NMC system in England, monitors continuously and informs employers of changes if the carer offends after initial approval.

Scotland’s unique requirements — particularly the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme managed by Disclosure Scotland — add extra layers of safeguarding that could make undetected serious cases less likely (or shorter-lived) compared to reliance on NMC processes alone. https://www.rcn.org.uk/Get-Help/RCN-advice/disclosure-and-barring-service

NMC Role (UK-Wide)The NMC handles registration and revalidation across the entire UK, including the “health and character” declarations that failed in this case. This administrative/process error affected applicants/renewals UK-wide, so Scotland is not exempt from the initial oversight.

Scotland-Specific Additional Safeguards

NHS Scotland (and other employers) rely on NMC registration but also require:

• PVG Scheme membership (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) for nurses/midwives in regulated roles involving contact with children or protected adults. This is a legal requirement in Scotland and involves ongoing monitoring. mygov.scot
• Disclosure Scotland checks (Level 2 or PVG scheme records), which provide criminal record information (convictions, cautions, and sometimes other relevant police info). These are employer-driven and often required at recruitment, with updates recommended for new posts. workforce.nhs.scot

Key differences that add protection:

• Continuous monitoring under PVG: Disclosure Scotland notifies employers of new relevant information, unlike a one-off NMC declaration. gov.scot
• Employer risk assessments: NHS Scotland boards have policies for reviewing disclosures, discussing convictions, and deciding suitability (with options for interim restrictions or removal from regulated work). A barred individual cannot legally work in regulated roles. rcn.org.uk
• Separate barring/listing: Disclosure Scotland makes its own suitability decisions for vulnerable groups work, which can operate independently of NMC processes. nmc.org.uk

These checks act as a backstop. Even if the NMC missed escalating a declaration, a robust Disclosure Scotland/PVG check at employment (or renewal of post) could flag issues, trigger employer review, and lead to restrictions or referral back to the NMC. Scotland’s system is more integrated with ongoing criminal record updates than in some other UK nations.