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FtP library
  • Understanding Fitness to Practise
    • Aims and principles for fitness to practise
    • Allegations we consider
      • Allegations we consider - overview
      • Misconduct
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      • Health
      • Not having the necessary knowledge of English
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    • When we use interim orders
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    • Examining cases
    • How we manage cases
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    • Resolving cases by agreement
    • What sanctions are and when we might use them
    • Taking account of context
      • Taking account of context - overview
      • 1: We’ll approach cases on the basis that most people referred to us are normally safe
      • 2: We’ll seek to build an accurate picture about the nurse, midwife or nursing associate’s practising history
      • 3: We’ll always carefully consider evidence of discrimination, victimisation, bullying or harassment
      • 4: Where risks are caused by system and process failures, we’ll concentrate on the action we can take to help resolve the underlying issues
      • 5: In cases where a nurse, midwife or nursing associate was required to use their professional judgement we’ll respond proportionately
      • 6: Evidence of steps the nurse, midwife or nursing associate has taken to address serious concerns caused by a gap in knowledge or training or personal context factors
      • 7: We’ll always look into whether group norms or culture influenced an individual’s behaviour before taking action
      • 8: Where an incident has occurred because of cultural problems, we’ll concentrate on taking action to minimise the risk of the same thing happening again
      • What context factors we think are important to know about when considering a case
    • Our culture of curiosity
    • Decisions of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Disclosure Scotland
    • Insight and strengthened practice
      • Insight and strengthened practice - overview
      • Can the concern be addressed?
      • Has the concern been addressed?
      • Is it highly unlikely that the conduct will be repeated?
    • Engaging with your case
  • Screening
    • Our screening approach
      • Our screening approach - overview
      • A decision not to take any further action at this time
    • Determining the regulatory concern
      • Determining the regulatory concern - overview
      • Identifying and explaining regulatory concerns
      • Regulatory concerns in health cases
    • Cases that may involve incorrect or fraudulent entry
  • Interim Orders
    • Interim orders, their purpose, and our powers to impose them
    • Decision making factors for interim orders
    • Applications for interim orders
    • Interim orders - multiple referrals; duration of orders and extensions; and orders at final hearings
    • Interim order reviews
  • Investigations
    • Gathering information
    • How we investigate health concerns about nurses, midwives and nursing associates
    • Directions to take a language assessment
    • Investigating what caused the death or serious harm of a patient
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  • Case Examiners
    • How case examiners decide there is a case to answer
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      • Available outcomes - overview
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    • Reconsidering closed cases
    • When we revisit case to answer decisions
  • Preparing for the FtP Committee
    • Reviewing cases after they are referred to the FtPC
    • Drafting charges
      • Why do we have guidance on charges?
      • Jargon buster
      • General approach
      • How a charge becomes final
      • Practical drafting issues
      • Particular features of misconduct charging
      • Drafting charges in health cases
      • Other fitness to practise charges
      • Multiple allegations
    • Documents panels use when deciding cases
    • Gathering further evidence after the investigation
    • Disclosure
    • Notice of our hearings and meetings
  • Case management
    • Hearing fitness to practise allegations together
    • Case conferences
    • Preliminary meetings
    • Considering cases at meetings and hearings
    • Removal by Agreement
      • Removal by Agreement - overview
      • How does the agreed removal process work?
      • How we consider removal applications
      • Circumstances where agreed removal will not be appropriate
      • Applying the agreed removal criteria to particular cases
      • Readmission to the register
    • Cancelling hearings
    • Constitution of panels
    • Proceeding with hearings when the nurse, midwife or nursing associate is absent
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  • FtP Committee decision making
    • Impairment
    • Consensual panel determination
      • Consensual panel determination - overview
      • Essential criteria
      • The process
    • Offering no evidence
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    • Directing further investigation during a hearing
    • Evidence
    • Making decisions on sexual misconduct
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    • Agreed removal at hearings
  • Sanctions
    • Factors to consider before deciding on sanctions
    • Sanctions for particularly serious cases
    • Available sanction orders
      • Available sanction orders - overview
      • No further action
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    • Interim orders after a sanction is imposed
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  • Reviews
    • Reviewing case examiner decisions
      • Reviewing case examiner decisions - overview
      • Stage one: should we start a review?
      • Stage two: what happens during the review process?
    • Substantive order reviews
      • Substantive order reviews - overview
      • Standard reviews of substantive orders before they expire
      • Early review of a substantive order
      • Exceptional cases: changing orders with immediate effect at a standard review
      • Review of striking-off orders
      • New allegations
      • Reviewing orders when there may have been a breach
      • Reviews where an interim order is in place
      • Removal from the register when there is a substantive order in place
  • Appeals and restoration
    • Appeals against panel decisions
    • Restoration
      • Restoration - overview
      • Deciding on applications for restoration
      • Powers of the Fitness to Practise Committee at a restoration hearing
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