An NMC dishonesty concern is an allegation that a nurse, midwife or nursing associate acted dishonestly, in practice or in private life: a false record, a false declaration, a false claim about qualifications or employment, or a cover-up after something went wrong. The NMC says it treats dishonesty "very seriously" because the public must be able to trust those who provide care, and that a finding of dishonesty is likely to lead to a severe sanction. This guide sets out, from the NMC's own fitness to practise library read on 29 October 2026, how the NMC decides whether conduct was dishonest, what makes it more or less serious, how it differs from a breach of candour, and what you can do now.
A dishonesty allegation from the NMC?
Read the charges closely: the NMC says dishonesty must be stated in the charges, and if it is not, the panel should not make a finding of dishonesty. Then speak to your union, indemnity provider or a lawyer before you reply.
Building your response?
The NMC wants to hear from a professional who has reflected on the concerns and shown insight. A course on probity and candour, with a written reflection, is evidence of the steps you have taken.
In short
- The NMC treats dishonesty very seriously; it says a finding of dishonesty is likely to lead to suspension or strike-off, but "not all dishonesty is equally serious".
- It judges dishonesty in two steps: what you knew and believed at the time, then whether your actions were dishonest by the standards of ordinary people.
- Courses that fit: Probity for Healthcare Professionals and Duty of Candour, with Module on Insight and Module on Reflection. Each CPD course is £79 (£50 with Bulk Buy 10) for 2 CPD hours. All the CPD courses linked from this guide are by Probity & Ethics, written by Dr Shehzad Iqbal.
How the NMC decides whether conduct was dishonest
The NMC's guidance on making decisions on dishonesty charges (reference FtP-2a-iii, updated 31 July 2026) applies the two-step test from the case of Ivey v Genting:
- What you knew and believed. The panel first decides what the professional actually knew or believed about the facts at the time.
- The standards of ordinary people. It then decides whether, on that knowledge and belief, the conduct was dishonest "by the standards of ordinary people".
Your own view of whether you were dishonest does not decide the question. The NMC says it can still inform how serious the dishonesty was. The guidance also says dishonesty must be set out in the charges: where the charges do not include it, the Fitness to Practise Committee "should not make a finding on dishonesty, and should not consider it at sanction stage".
What makes dishonesty more or less serious
The NMC says a finding of dishonesty is likely to lead to a severe sanction even when the dishonesty is not linked to professional practice. It also gives examples of single incidents that are unlikely to amount to misconduct on their own:
| Less serious (unlikely to be misconduct as a single incident) | More serious |
|---|---|
| A one-off dishonest act in private life, with no evidence of dishonesty in practice | A pattern of dishonest acts |
| An incident in practice with no effect on public protection, such as taking someone's food from a shared fridge | Dishonesty that affects the safety or care of patients |
| Saying a clinical task was done when it was not, then admitting it, apologising and completing it before it affected care | Falsifying records, or covering up after something went wrong |
The NMC's page on serious concerns which are more difficult to put right lists dishonesty-type conduct among them: covering up or falsifying records, encouraging others not to tell the truth, using or referring to false qualifications, giving a false picture of employment history that hides past clinical incidents, and not telling employers that your right to practise has been restricted or suspended. Panels also take account of the context and the workplace culture, and should hear the professional's own account.
Dishonesty and the duty of candour
The professional duty of candour is section 14 of the NMC Code: be open and honest with patients when something goes wrong with their care. The NMC treats a breach of candour as "very serious, whether or not they are also dishonest". A breach of candour can involve dishonesty, but does not always. The NMC's example is a junior nurse who did not report harm to a patient because he feared getting colleagues into trouble: a breach of candour that "is not necessarily dishonest". Charges refer to a breach of candour by name, which makes the charge more serious. Our duty of candour guide sets out what the duty asks of you.
How to respond to an NMC dishonesty concern
- Get advice first. Speak to your union, indemnity provider or a lawyer before you reply. A dishonesty allegation puts your registration at serious risk.
- Read the charges and the evidence. Check whether dishonesty is stated, and on what facts.
- Be honest in the response itself. A response that is less than candid adds to the concern. Where you accept what happened, say so plainly.
- Reflect in writing. What happened, what you knew at the time, why it was wrong by the standards of the Code, what effect it had on patients, colleagues and trust in the profession, and what you have changed. Our NMC reflective statement guide gives a structure.
- Take a course on probity and candour. A dated certificate shows you have reviewed the standards you are accused of breaching.
- Gather testimonials and records that show honest practice since the event.
The NMC's guidance on insight and remediation for nurses explains what the NMC looks for when it asks whether a concern has been addressed.
Courses for an NMC dishonesty concern
Start here
Probity for Healthcare Professionals
Honesty in records, declarations, finances, qualifications and employment history, what regulators treat as dishonest, and how to show insight and change.
- £79 (£50 with Bulk Buy 10)
- 2 CPD hours
- Certificate on completion
Courses that work alongside it
The Bulk Buy offer is any 3 courses for £200, 5 for £300 or 10 for £500. Probity & Ethics is CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service. Not sure which course fits? Request a free 15-minute Zoom call with Dr Shehzad Iqbal. Our NMC courses guide covers every kind of NMC concern.
The CPD courses linked from this guide, Probity for Healthcare Professionals, Duty of Candour in Healthcare Practice, Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses & Midwives and Professionalism in Documentation for Healthcare Professionals, are by Probity & Ethics, written by Dr Shehzad Iqbal, CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service (provider no. 13197) and offered since 2020.
Key Takeaways
- Which course should I take for an NMC dishonesty or probity allegation? Our Probity course is written for this, for nurses and midwives, and follows the NMC Code; pair it with a written reflection that names the standard engaged.
- Will a course help my NMC investigation? A course is evidence of insight and remediation, which the NMC case examiners look for — strongest with a written reflection and changes in your practice. No course can guarantee an outcome.
- When should I send the certificate and reflection to the NMC? With your written response, before the NMC case examiners decide — or before an NMC Fitness to Practise Committee or a review if the case has gone further.
- Can I finish the course before my deadline, and is it CPD accredited? Yes — it is online and self-paced with a certificate on completion, and CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service, counting towards your NMC revalidation.
Frequently asked questions
Is dishonesty always the end of a nurse's registration?
No. The NMC says a finding of dishonesty is likely to lead to a severe sanction and that suspension or strike-off is the likely result, but it also says "not all dishonesty is equally serious". A one-off act in private life with no link to practice, or an error you recognised and put right before it had any effect, is unlikely to amount to misconduct as a single incident. A pattern, or dishonesty that affects patients, is treated far more seriously.
How does the NMC decide whether I was dishonest?
It uses the two-step test from Ivey v Genting. First, the panel decides what you knew and believed about the facts at the time. Second, it decides whether what you did, on that knowledge and belief, was dishonest by the standards of ordinary people. Your own view of whether you were dishonest does not decide the question, though it can bear on how serious it is.
What is the difference between dishonesty and a breach of the duty of candour?
Candour is the duty in section 14 of the Code to be open and honest when something goes wrong in care. A breach of candour can involve dishonesty, but does not always: the NMC gives the example of a junior nurse who did not report harm because he feared getting colleagues into trouble, which breached candour but "is not necessarily dishonest". The NMC treats candour breaches as very serious whether or not they are also dishonest.
Can I put right a dishonesty concern?
The NMC lists dishonesty-type concerns, such as falsifying records, using false qualifications or hiding a restriction from an employer, among the concerns that are more difficult to put right. It says it wants to hear from a professional who has reflected on the concerns and taken the chance to show insight. Early, honest engagement, a written reflection and a course on probity and candour are the steps you can take yourself.
Which course should I take for an NMC dishonesty concern?
Probity for Healthcare Professionals, for honesty in records, declarations, finances and qualifications; Duty of Candour in Healthcare Practice where the concern is about openness after something went wrong; and Module on Insight and Module on Reflection for the response itself. Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses and Midwives ties both to the Code.
How much do the courses cost?
Each online course is £79 (£50 with Bulk Buy 10) for 2 CPD hours, online and self-paced, with a dated certificate. The Bulk Buy offer is any 3 courses for £200, 5 for £300 or 10 for £500. Module on Insight and Module on Reflection are £49 each for 1.5 CPD hours and count towards the Bulk Buy packages. Probity and Ethics is CPD certified and accredited by The CPD Certification Service.
Sources
This guide is based on the following NMC pages, read on 29 October 2026.
