The General Optical Council (Fitness to Practise Rules) Order of Council 2005

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 2005

      1. The General Optical Council, in exercise of their powers under...

      2. PART 1 CITATION, COMMENCEMENT AND INTERPRETATION

         1. 1. Citation and Commencement

         2. 2. Interpretation

      3. PART 2 INVESTIGATION

         1. 3. Delegation of Investigation

         2. 4. Notification

         3. 5. Representations and documents from the registrant

         4. 6. Consideration and investigation by the Investigation Committee

      4. PART 3 ASSESSMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL REGISTRANTS

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

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

         3. 9. Assessment notification

         4. 10. Date of meeting

         5. 11. Assessment report

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

      5. PART 4 REFERRAL TO THE FITNESS TO PRACTISE COMMITTEE

         1. 13. Referral to Fitness to Practise Committee

         2. 14. Warnings

         3. 15. Review of decision not to refer

         4. 16. Termination of referral

      6. PART 5 INTERIM ORDERS

         1. 17. Notification of application for interim order

         2. 18. Date of interim order hearing

         3. 19. Conduct of interim order hearings

      7. PART 6 HEARINGS OF THE FITNESS TO PRACTISE COMMITTEE

         1. 20. Representation

         2. 21. Proceeding in the absence of the registrant

         3. 22. Joinder

         4. 23. Hearings in public

         5. 24. Exclusion from hearings

      8. PART 7 PROCEDURE AND ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS

         1. 25. Procedural and substantive hearings

         2. 26. Notification

         3. 27. Completion of hearing questionnaire by the registrant

         4. 28. Procedural hearing

         5. 29. A procedural hearing shall not be held earlier than 7...

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

         7. 31. Date of substantive hearing

         8. 32. Advance provision of information

         9. 33. Committee copies of documents

         10. 34. Amendment of particulars of allegation

         11. 35. Adjournment

         12. 36. (1) Upon the hearing of an application under rule 35,...

         13. 37. Where the Fitness to Practise Committee decide to adjourn a...

         14. 38. Admissibility of evidence

         15. 39. Vulnerable witnesses

         16. 40. Evidence on oath

         17. 41. Legal advisers

         18. 42. Clinical advisers

         19. 43. Specialist advisers

         20. 44. Admissions

         21. 45. Presentation of the Presenting Officer’s case

         22. 46. Presentation of the registrant’s case

         23. 47. Evidence in rebuttal

         24. 48. Questions

         25. 49. Submissions

         26. 50. Findings

      9. PART 8 ORDERS OF THE FITNESS TO PRACTISE COMMITTEE

         1. 51. Declarations where allegation not proven

         2. 52. Where, in the case of a business registrant, it has...

         3. 53. Submissions etc. as to orders

         4. 54. Orders of the Fitness to Practise Committee

         5. 55. Written decision

         6. 56. Costs and expenses

         7. 57. Where the Fitness to Practise Committee are considering an order...

         8. 58. Period of payment

      10. PART 9 REVIEWS

          1. 59. Referral of a review

          2. 60. Notice of review

          3. 61. Date of review

          4. 62. Conduct of review hearing.

      11. PART 10 MISCELLANEOUS

          1. 63. Voting

          2. 64. Record of Hearing

          3. 65. Service of documents

5. Explanatory Note