On 24 January 2012 we wrote to Harry Cayton, the head of the Council for Health Regulatory Excellence asking what reassurance it could give to the public and the nursing profession folowing the recent departures of senior Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) executives . We have received the following response:

"We have of course expressed concern in the past that the NMC was not fulfilling its functions to the standard patients and professionals have a right to expect. It has made some progress in improving its performance and we continue to work closely with it. I have no reason to believe that the council and the interim chief executive and management team are not maintaining its work and ensuring it is committed to public protection.

We will welcome evidence to our review from people with experience of the NMC. People can submit comments through a dedicated email address set up for the review at nmcreview@chre.org.uk and further information can be found on our website

Terms of Reference for Strategic Review of NMC were also forwarded with the correspondence.