Fitness To Practise

What is Fitness to Practise?

Fitness to Practise is a process that addresses concerns where a student is registered to a professional course governed by a Statutory Regulatory Body (e.g. nursing, social work, medicine, allied health)

It considers whether you are suitable to enter that profession, taking into account:

• Professional behaviour, character and conduct.
• Health and wellbeing.
• Criminal convictions
• Ability to meet professional standards
• Non disclosure of information.

When might these processes be used?

Examples include:

• Ongoing health or wellbeing issues that are seriously affecting your studies e.g repeated absence.
• Behaviour that raises concerns about your safety, or the safety of others e.g engaging in procedures that are beyond the remit of a students practise.
• Serious issues raised during placements or professional practise e.g forged signatures .

What happens if I’m referred?

• You will be contacted in writing informing you of the concerns being raised.
• The university may also take precautionary action e.g pausing placement, to protect both the student and service users.
• You will be invited to a meeting and will normally be provided a minimum of 5 working days notice of this. This is Stage 1 and is an initial assessment of concerns.
• The purpose of this meeting is to gather further information on the concerns and to understand the students version on events.
• Outcomes of this meeting may include:
• No further action required.
• The student is required to write a reflective statement.
• Remedial action e.g engage with further learning, write an apology.
• Referral to a Support and Progress committee.

Support and Progress Committee

• If the concerns need further enquiry / investigation a Support and Progress committee will take place.
• You will be required to meet with the Director of Studies and a member of the profession. This may be your course leader, another member of your course team or, an external member.
• You will have the opportunity to address the concerns that have been raised, provide reflections on these and give insight on how you will prevent further occurrences.
• You will be notified on the outcome of your Support and Progress committee within 10 working days of your meeting.

Outcomes of Support and Progress committee

Following your Support and Progress committee you may be required to undertake one, or more, of the following actions:

• Undertake a written reflective piece.
• Undertake a learner agreement or action plan.
• Complete a further period of placement.
• Write an apology letter.
• Temporary period of intermission of study.
• Other remedial action deemed appropriate by the panel
• Where the concerns cannot be addressed by the Support and Progress committee you will be referred to a Fitness to practise panel.

Fitness to Practise Panel

• The Fitness to practise panel is formal in nature and will address serious concerns that cannot be addressed at earlier stages of the process.
• The panel consists of the Dean, Deputy Dean or Head of School, acting as chair, a member of staff from the university who is a member of the profession and an independent external member of the profession.
• The Director of Studies and Student will have the opportunity to provide a verbal account and can ask questions of each other.
• The panel can ask questions to both parties.
• Final statements will be heard by the Director of Studies and Student before the meeting is closed.
• The panel will consider their decisions in private.
• Outcomes will be communicated to the student within 5 working days of the panel.

Outcomes of Fitness to practise

• No reasons for concern.
• There were reasons for concern but the student is fit to practise. Remedial action may be set such as a written warning, student is required to write a reflective piece, a learner agreement / action plan is put in place or other appropriate actions.
• The student is not fit to practise and may be suspended from their studies, expulsion from ARU or a report is made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

What support can I get?

• UNION Advice – we can attend meetings with you, explain the process, and help you prepare any statements.
• Counselling & Wellbeing Service – emotional and mental health support.
• Disability & Dyslexia Service – if you need adjustments due to a disability or condition.
• PDT / Course team – to explore academic or placement-based support beyond the Fitness to practise process.