Fitness to Practise Frequently Used Terms

Glossary

You may not be familiar with some of the terms used in relation to Fitness to Practise. We have explained these below.

Adjournment – postponement of a hearing

Admonish – to reprimand firmly

Allegation – the charge or charges faced by the registrant

Case Manager – helps the Preliminary Proceedings Committee investigate the complaint

Censure – to criticise strongly

Council - the Health and Social Care Professionals Council has 29 voluntary members and a Chair, appointed by the Minister for Health

Evidence - what a witness says at the inquiry and documentary evidence, including photographs, which are brought before an inquiry

Health Committee - inquires into whether or not a registrant has a relevant medical disability

Committee of Inquiry – if the matter warrants further action and is not suitable for mediation, or both parties do not consent to mediation, the complaint will then go before a Committee of Inquiry. There are two types of Committee of Inquiry: Professional Conduct Committee and Health Committee. A hearing before a Committee of Inquiry is similar to a hearing before a Court or tribunal.

Lay Person - a person who is not and never has been a registrant of any of the professions CORU has been designated the power to regulate or hold any qualification that would allow him or her to apply for registration to CORU

Legal Assessor - a legal advisor who sits with the Committee of Inquiry. The role of the Legal Assessor is to provide the Committee with independent legal advice

Mediation - is a form of alternative dispute resolution involving an agreed mediator acting as a facilitator to help the parties negotiate an agreement

Poor professional performance - any failure of the registrant to meet the standards of competence that may reasonably be expected of registrants practising that profession

Preliminary Proceedings Committee – this Committee initially examines all complaints received by CORU and gives its opinion to Council about what action should be taken

Professional Conduct Committee - hears complaints about a registrant’s conduct or competence

Professional Misconduct - conduct that is a breach of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics adopted by the Registration Board of that profession

Registrant - a person who is registered as a health and social care professional with CORU is called a registrant

Registrar - the CEO of the Council is the Registrar of each Registration Board. She is responsible for ensuring the work of each Registration Board is carried out.

Registration Board - each profession has its own Registration Board which is responsible for the registration of members of the profession.

Relevant Medical Disability -   a physical or mental disability of the registrant which may impair his or her ability to practise his or her profession. It includes an addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Sanction - the type of penalty that Council can impose on a registrant