The Health and Care Professions Council (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Rules Order of Council 2021

Amendments to the Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003

4.—(1) The Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003(1) are amended as follows.

(2) After rule 2 (interpretation), insert—

“Emergency virtual meetings and hearings

2A.— (1) In an emergency, a meeting or hearing arranged under these Rules may be conducted using audio or video conferencing facilities.

(2) In cases where a meeting or hearing is held in accordance with paragraph (1)—

(a) any notice required to be sent under these rules giving notice of venue must include details of the audio or video conferencing arrangements required to access the hearing; and

(b) where a hearing is being held by audio or video conferencing, the Committee may order that the hearing is to be held in private.

(3) In this rule, an emergency exists where the Registrar considers that an emergency, as defined in Article 9A(12) of the Order, has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur.”.

(3) For rule 3 (service of documents) substitute—

“Service of Documents

3.   In these Rules a reference to the sending of a notice or other document to any person is a reference to it being—

(a) in the case of the Council, its committees or the Registrar—

(i) sent by post to or left at the offices of the Council, or

(ii) sent by electronic mail to an electronic mail address which the Council has notified to the sender as an address for communications;

(b) in the case of a registrant—

(i) sent by post to or left at the registrant’s address as it appears in the register, or

(ii) sent by electronic mail to an electronic mail address which the registrant has notified to the Council as an address for communications; and

(c) in any other case—

(i) sent by post to or left at the last known address of that person, or

(ii) sent by electronic mail to an electronic mail address which the person has notified to the Council as an address for communications.”

(4) At the beginning of rule 10(1)(a), insert “subject to rule 2A(2)(b),”.

(5) At the beginning of rule 13(10), for “A” substitute “Subject to rule 2A, a”.

(1)

Rules as set out in the Schedule to the Health Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules Order of Council 2003 (S.I. 2003/1576).