Fitness to practise – Anatomy of a healthcare regulatory case

For healthcare professionals, fitness to practise is an assessment of their ability to practise safely and effectively, including considering their overall ability to perform their role, their professional and personal behaviour, and the impact of any health condition on their ability to provide safe care. Facing a proceeding like this can be a daunting prospect, so arming yourself with the knowledge of what’s involved and how to avoid the risk of being referred to your regulator is a proactive measure you can take.

Fitness to practise is an assessment of a healthcare professional’s ability to practise safely and effectively. It includes considering their overall ability to perform their role, their professional and personal behaviour, and the impact of any health condition on their ability to provide safe care.

A fitness to practise concern can be made against a healthcare professional arising out of a patient complaint, an investigation undertaken by their employer, like an NHS Trust, or from a Coroner following an Inquest. A healthcare professional is also required to self-refer to their regulator if they have been charged with a criminal offence or accepted a caution

This video explores the role of the case worker for the regulator that will investigate the concern, where this is referred and the relevant processes around fitness to practise cases that are under investigation.

David summarises in this video several key ways to minimise risk in being referred to your regulator, including how you keep patient records, taking ongoing professional development and training into account and how to respond to patient complaints.

In this video, David reviews the relevant considerations made by regulators when allegations are made against a healthcare professional, including factors that may impact on the seriousness of the concern.

Here, David outlines the four key things you as a professional being scrutinised by your regulator should consider when responding to concerns raised about your conduct.

This video outlines the overarching process of how a fitness to practise concern is investigated.

In his final video, David explains the potential sanctions that a regulator can impose at the end of a fitness to practise investigation.

If you  require more information or  support with an investigation into your fitness to practise, please do not hesitate to contact David Reddington or one of the team who will be able to advise further.