All of a sudden, I have become terribly busy. It is as if the regulators, like a slumbering bear, have awoken from their winter hibernation. They are busy and now I am too.

When you are dismissed from your employment, what should you tell prospective employers about the reason why you left that employment?

One of my all-time favourite songs and one that guides me in all things, not least my professional work on behalf of all my clients:

Optimistic by Sounds of Blackness

5 day hearing at the HPCPC. I was marshalling arguments for what was a fairly rare point, an application to have a fitness to practice hearing, where the allegations were based on conduct, moved to be heard instead by the Health Committee. Moving the hearing would mean that the allegations would be heard in a much softer setting, with no chance of strike off in the worst case.

You might think so, but in my experience, it is not always the case. Even when suspended sentences of imprisonment are imposed, as in a recent case, where my client had been convicted of a drink drive offence and assaulting a police officer

Sexual relationships with colleagues do occur often; it is to be expected, as those are the people with whom we spend a vast amount of our time. Many employers have a specific policy dealing with such relationships, to ensure that there is no impropriety or abuse of position.

Social Worker who admitted plagiarism in both her work and her study. Both the study and the work was around the area of DOLS.

Yesterday, at the HCPC, my client a former ODP made his plea to be restored to the register, after 8 years away. He had been struck off for defrauding the NHS and agencies of over £20,000 and subsequently being convicted and sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment.

It is often the case that when a nurse or other professional makes one error, their case load is rigorously audited, and a whole series of other mistakes come to light.

It's hell in the NMC hearing centre in East London at the moment. The other London hearing centre at Aldwych has closed permanently, meaning that all hearings are being squeezed into the Stratford centre.

It is not possible to over-emphasise the benefit of not only taking advice on how to deal with your fitness to practice referral, but also having representation at any hearings.

It may seem odd, but did you know that as a student, if you make an allegation of misconduct against your practice education facilitator or mentor, it can end up with a fitness to practice process with you as the subject?

Today I had a hearing at the NMC representing a client in their application for restoration. They had been struck off the register almost 7 years ago for defrauding the NHS of over £100,000, through dishonest claims for bursaries and working when they were not entitled to do so.

Two hearings and two investigation reports in the past two weeks have shown again where it is important to get it right from the start.