Fitness to Practise

Conduct

• Aggressive, violent, threatening or abusive behaviour
• Dishonesty, such as falsifying records, signatures or attendance
• Breach of confidentiality
• Inappropriate use of social media
• Criminal convictions or cautions

Professional behaviour

• Unprofessional behaviour on placement
• Poor attendance or poor timekeeping
• Poor communication
• Failure to follow professional or supervisory advice
• Failure to declare relevant changes, such as a criminal conviction or health concern

Health or wellbeing

• Health concerns that may affect safe professional practice
• Drug or alcohol misuse
• Situations where support, adjustments or monitoring may be needed

This is not a full list. The University will consider the concern in relation to the relevant professional standards for your course.

You can contact the Students' Union Advice Service when a concern is first raised, during an investigation, before a meeting or hearing, after receiving an outcome, or when considering an appeal.

The Advice Service can help you:

• Understand the Fitness to Practise procedure
• Review the concern and supporting evidence
• Prepare a written response
• Prepare for a formal meeting or Committee hearing
• Understand possible outcomes and conditions
• Consider whether you may have grounds to appeal

Please contact us as early as possible if you have been invited to a Fitness to Practise meeting or hearing.

You can contact us through the enquiry form here.

• Initial review: The Dean of School looks at the concern and decides what should happen next.
• Cause for concern review: An early meeting may take place to discuss the concern, hear your response and explain the standards expected on your course.
• Investigation: An Investigating Officer may be appointed to speak to you, speak to others, review documents and prepare a report.
• Formal meeting: You may be invited to a formal meeting with the Dean of School.
• Fitness to Practise Committee hearing: More serious cases may be referred to a Committee hearing.

A pre-regulatory warning may be used where the University does not need to move to a full investigation but still believes action is needed.

You may be asked to agree to actions such as:

• Monitoring
• Support
• Reflection
• Training
• An undertaking of good conduct

In some cases, the University may put temporary measures in place while the concern is being considered.

• Interim suspension: You may be temporarily suspended from the University.
• Partial exclusion: You may be restricted from some University activities, spaces or settings.
• Temporary withdrawal from placement: You may be removed from placement while the concern is being considered.
• Other measures: The University may put other precautionary or support measures in place.

These measures do not mean that the concern has been proven.

If you are temporarily withdrawn from placement, you can ask for the decision to be reviewed every 4 weeks.

• You may be invited to a formal meeting with the Dean of School to discuss the concern.
• You should normally receive at least 5 working days' notice.
• You should receive details of the concern and a copy of the Investigating Officer's report.
• You can be accompanied or represented by someone of your choosing, including an adviser from the Students' Union Advice Service.
• You will have the opportunity to respond to the concern and explain your case.

Possible outcomes

• Case dismissed: There are no grounds for concern and no further action is needed.
• Further investigation: More information is needed before a decision can be made.
• Referral to another procedure: The concern may be dealt with under another University procedure.
• Remedial action: You may need to complete monitoring, supervision, reflection, training or another action.
• Reassessment: You may need to be reassessed in part of your course.
• Continue with conditions: You may continue on the course with conditions, support, treatment, rehabilitation, supervision or monitoring.
• Temporary withdrawal: You may need to withdraw from your studies for a set period.
• Referral to a Fitness to Practise Committee: The case may be referred to a formal Committee hearing.

You will usually be told the outcome and reasons at the end of the meeting. You should receive the written outcome within 5 working days.

If the concern is serious, the case may be referred to a Fitness to Practise Committee hearing.

What you should receive

• Notice of the hearing at least 5 working days beforehand
• The report and evidence being considered
• Details of the relevant professional standards
• Information about your course progress and possible outcomes
• A deadline for submitting your statement and evidence, usually no later than 3 working days before the hearing
• A deadline for confirming anyone accompanying or representing you, usually at least 3 working days before the hearing

The Committee will usually include at least 4 members, including people with professional knowledge of the field and an elected officer of the Students' Union.

What happens at the hearing

• University case: The University explains the concern and presents the evidence.
• Your response: You can respond to the concern, explain your case and provide evidence.
• Questions: You, the University and the Committee may ask questions.
• Mitigating factors: You can explain any personal circumstances or context you want the Committee to consider.
• Witnesses: You may be able to call witnesses if this has been agreed.
• Decision: The Committee decides whether the concern is proven using the balance of probabilities.

If you do not attend without a good reason, the hearing may go ahead without you.

Possible outcomes from a Fitness to Practise Committee hearing

The Committee should start with the lowest suitable outcome and move to a higher outcome only if needed.

• Further investigation: The hearing may be paused because more information is needed.
• Case dismissed: The Committee decides that no cause for concern has been proven.
• Remedial action: You may be required to complete monitoring, supervision or another action.
• Reassessment: You may be required to be reassessed in specific parts of your course.
• Reflective work or learning activity: You may be asked to complete reflection, training or another activity.
• Continue with conditions: You may continue on the course with treatment, rehabilitation, observation, supervision, monitoring or adjustments.
• Temporary withdrawal from studies: You may need to withdraw for a set period and meet conditions before returning.
• Transfer or alternative award: Your professional education and training may end, and you may be offered a non-professional course or award where available.
• Expulsion: Your professional education and training may end and you may be permanently expelled from the University.

You will usually be told the outcome and reasons at the end of the hearing. You should receive the written outcome within 5 working days.

A placement provider may decide not to allow a student to return to placement, even after the University process has finished.

• You may be able to appeal the outcome of a formal meeting or Fitness to Practise Committee hearing.
• Appeals are considered under the appeal process set out in the Student Disciplinary Procedure.
• You should seek advice as soon as possible because appeal deadlines are usually short.

• If you have completed the University's internal appeal process and are still unhappy with the outcome, you may be able to ask the OIA to review your case.
• You must normally submit your OIA complaint within 12 months of the date on your Completion of Procedures letter.

In some cases, the University may need to share information about the nature or outcome of a Fitness to Practise case.

• Professional, statutory or regulatory body: Where required because of the professional nature of the course.
• Placement provider: Where the concern affects placement or safe professional practice.
• Employer: Where this is relevant to the course or professional training.
• Disclosure and Barring Service: Where the University is required to share information.
• Safeguarding staff or relevant authorities: Where there is a safeguarding concern.
• UK Visas and Immigration: Where there is a significant change in an international student's circumstances.

The University should tell you if information is being shared in this way.

• The University aims to deal with Fitness to Practise cases in a timely way.
• Cases should normally be completed within 90 calendar days from the report being received by the Student Casework Team.
• Some cases may take longer where the police, a placement provider or another third party is involved.
• If there is a delay, the University should tell you why and keep you updated.