Health and Personal Social Services (Disciplinary Procedures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Provision as to quorum, composition and voting

8.—(1) At any hearing of a discipline committee other than a joint discipline committee the quorum shall consist of a chairman, two lay members and two members who are professional persons.

(2) At any hearing of a joint discipline committee the quorum shall consist of the chairman, two lay members and two other members—

(a) who are professional persons; and

(b) in relation to—

(i) one of whom, one of the practitioners is a relevant practitioner, and

(ii) the other of whom, the other of the practitioners is a relevant practitioner.

(3) The proceedings at any meeting of a discipline committee shall be suspended if, and for so long as—

(a) the number of members present falls below the quorum specified in sub-paragraph (1) or (2); or

(b) the number of lay members who are present exceeds, or is exceeded by, the number of other members (apart from the chairman) who are present.

(4) Where after the commencement of a hearing before a discipline committee, the hearing is adjourned for the purposes of hearing further evidence or for preparing or considering the report, no member of the committee who was not present at the earlier sitting of the hearing shall be present at the proceedings of the resumed hearing.

(5) Where there is an equality of votes among members of a discipline committee, the chairman shall have a casting vote, but shall not otherwise be entitled to vote.