The General Optical Council (Fitness to Practise) Rules Order of Council 2013

1. Introductory Text

2. This Order may be cited as the General Optical Council...

3. Signature

4. 1. SCHEDULE

      The General Optical Council (Fitness to Practise) Rules 2013

      1. PART 1 Citation, Commencement and Interpretation

         1. 1. These Rules may be cited as the General Optical Council...

         2. 2. Interpretation

      2. PART 2 INVESTIGATION

         1. 3. Delegation of functions of the Investigation Committee

         2. 4. Initial consideration and referral of allegations

         3. 5. Notification and evidence gathering

      3. PART 3 ASSESSMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL REGISTRANTS

         1. 6. Appointment of assessors and direction for assessment by the Investigation Committee

         2. 7. Appointment of assessors and direction for assessment by the Fitness to Practise Committee

         3. 8. Assessment notification

         4. 9. Date of assessment meeting

         5. 10. Assessment report

         6. 11. Failure to submit to or co-operate with an assessment

      4. PART 4 REFERRAL TO THE FITNESS TO PRACTISE COMMITTEE

         1. 12. Consideration and decisions by the case examiners

         2. 13. Cases considered by the Investigation Committee

         3. 14. Warnings

         4. 15. Review of decision not to refer

         5. 16. Termination of referral

      5. PART 5 INTERIM ORDERS

         1. 17. Notification of application for interim order

         2. 18. Unless the registrar is of the view that the public...

         3. 19. Where, after the sending of the Notice of Interim Order...

         4. 20. Conduct of interim order hearings

      6. PART 6 HEARINGS OF THE FITNESS TO PRACTISE COMMITTEE

         1. 21. Representation

         2. 22. Proceeding in the absence etc. of the registrant

         3. 23. Joinder

         4. 24. The Fitness to Practise Committee may, where it considers it...

         5. 25. Substantive Hearings in public

         6. 26. Exclusion from hearings

      7. PART 7 PROCEDURE AND ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS

         1. 27. Procedural and substantive hearings

         2. 28. Notification

         3. 29. Standard procedural directions

         4. 30. Procedural hearings

         5. 31. The Hearings Manager must serve on the parties notification in...

         6. 32. At a procedural hearing, the Fitness to Practise Committee may—...

         7. 33. (1) The Fitness to Practise Committee may vary the standard...

         8. 34. Date of substantive hearing

         9. 35. Adjournment

         10. 36. (1) Upon the hearing of an application under rule 35,...

         11. 37. Where the Fitness to Practise Committee decides to adjourn a...

         12. 38. Standard and burden of proof

         13. 39. The burden of proof at substantive hearings before the Fitness...

         14. 40. Admissibility of evidence

         15. 41. Vulnerable witnesses

         16. 42. Witnesses

         17. 43. Legal advisers

         18. 44. Clinical advisers

         19. 45. Specialist advisers

         20. 46. Order of proceedings at substantive hearings of the Fitness to Practise Committee

         21. 47. Questions

         22. 48. Declarations where allegation not proven

         23. 49. Where, in the case of a business registrant, it has...

         24. 50. Written decision

         25. 51. Notification and disclosure of outcome of investigations and hearings

         26. 52. Costs and expenses

         27. 53. (1) Where the Fitness to Practise Committee orders a party...

         28. 54. Period of payment

      8. PART 8 REVIEWS

         1. 55. Referral for a review

         2. 56. Notice of review

         3. 57. Date of review

         4. 58. Conduct of review hearing.

      9. PART 9 MISCELLANEOUS

         1. 59. Voting

         2. 60. Record of hearing

         3. 61. Service of documents

         4. 62. Transitional provisions

         5. 63. Revocation

5. Explanatory Note