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 |