Been busy, so a quick update

Last month I had an interesting case involving a registrant caught up in a sting operation by a national newspaper, the Times no less. The allegation that resulted from the sting was essentially the promotion of unapproved treatments for autism and anti-vax theories. My client had been made subject to an interim suspension order when the allegation was referred to the HCPC, and I took on their case to help remove the order. Over several hearings, we were successful, first achieving the replacement of suspension with conditions of practice and then finally getting the order revoked entirely.

At the final hearing last month, the HCPC argued that my client’s fitness to practice was impaired. After hearing all of the evidence and submissions from me, the panel agreed that my client was fit to practice and ended the case against her.

In and around that hearing, I suceeded in achieving the conclusion of two cases at the NMC, one at case examiner stage, and the other at the screening stage, some few weeks after the referral had been made. The first was a dishonesty allegation and resulted in a one year warning, whilst the second was a sleeping on duty case (these are common) which ended with no case to answer.

Quite a productive time for me! Oh, and there was the NMC application for an interim suspension order where a nurse admitted allegations of dishonestly falsifying agency timesheets - the panel agreed with me that no interim order was necessary in the circumstances.

Last week I finished a 10 day hearing, with 16 of 21 allegations thrown out after a no case to answer submission. The hearing will continue later this year, and our goal is to get the remaining 5 allegations knocked out. I’m confident this will happen and my client will get the justice they have been waiting so long for.