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Bio-Medical Scientist at HCPC

Bankside Law represented a Bio-Medical Scientist before the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and was successful in persuading the conduct and competence committee that the registrant’s fitness to practice was not impaired following admissions being made at both the facts and misconduct stages.  The case concerned a registrant who, having consumed alcohol, went into the hospital he worked at whilst off-duty in order to speak to his girlfriend. The Registrant’s girlfriend was a colleague of his and was on duty at the time. The registrant was verbally abusive towards his girlfriend and other colleagues who had made efforts to calm him down. In addition to this instance, the HCPC reignited a previous complaint where the registrant was found to have had a folding knife in his staff locker. The panel was persuaded that the registrant had shown a great deal of insight and remorse for his actions and had taken steps to remediate his wrongdoing. The client has said of Bankside Law “It has been a pleasure, a delightful and wonderful experience knowing that you take that much time and empathy and consideration for your clients. I would not have hesitation in recommending you.”

Teachers: what to do if you are referred to your professional regulator – National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL).

As a teacher, you are under constant pressure to ensure that the children in your care meet expectations, exhibit appropriate behaviour and remain physically and emotionally safe. That is a great deal of responsibility for one person to carry, though of course you should have the support of your Head Teacher and Governing body.

As well as the everyday professional demands of your role, you may often be alone with individual children, or have to deal with exceptionally difficult behaviour, or be placed in a situation where you do not feel comfortable. In those circumstances, you are vulnerable to allegations being made against you, or indeed to making a bad or inappropriate decision. Minor incidents and issues relating to competence may be dealt with internally (within the school) as professional discipline matters.

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Social Work Manager achieves speedy No Case to Answer decision

John Williams recently acted for a social work manager whose professional world was turned upside down in December 2016 when she received notification from the HCPC of a complaint dating back 3 years. The notification included a bundle of paperwork of over 400 pages. Despite having only 28 days over Christmas we were able to put together an impressive defence bundle with glowing character references, statements from our client and other professional witnesses challenging the allegations and the evidence on which they were based and put forward strong grounds in support of a finding of no case to answer.We and our client were delighted when we heard from the HCPC Investigating Committee that we were successful. Our client had planned a holiday of a lifetime before receiving the HCPC notification. In view of the speedy decision she was still able to go on this holiday and avoided the huge stress, delay and cost of a full HCPC hearing before a Conduct and Competence Committee and any stain on her highly respected professional reputation. Our client commented
 
"I was totally traumatised by the allegations made against me and after safeguarding children for over 20 years I genuinely thought this may be the end of my social work career.  I did some research, wanting to find someone who was experienced to see through the allegations and support my innocence and eventually found John Williams and was very impressed by reviews regarding his supportive approach. John has. throughout this crippling experience, supported me fully. having the knowledge, experience, compassion, empathy and I genuinely would not be writing this review now if John had not taken on my case.  Fortunately my life is now back on track allowing me to do what I do best which is safeguarding children - Thank you so very much John."

Excessive Treatment prosecutions against chiropractors. Shouldn’t the GCC be more consistent?

On Tuesday 14th December 2016 the Professional Conduct Committee of the GCC brought a case which had lasted for 18 months to a timely end. They found all of the allegations against our client not proved.   One of those allegations was of proposing a treatment plan which was excessive. The GCC’s expert referred to the NICE guidance published in 2009 for the treatment of low back pain and opined to the PCC in support of the charge that the first two phases of treatment (symptomatic relief and rehabilitation) would require no more than 10 treatments before the start of maintenance treatment. However, he accepted that the maintenance stage could incorporate treatment for life.

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Bankside Law successfully defends a primary school teacher following investigation by NCTL

Bankside Law was instructed to act on behalf of a primary school teacher who had been referred to the National College for Teaching & Learning (NCTL) after accepting a police caution for child neglect/abandonment in September 2015. In short, the facts of the matter were that the client had left his 4 year old son home alone whilst he went to the nearby shop to buy some milk. Whilst on his way home, he  was involved in a minor altercation which resulted in police attending the scene and him having to notify them that his son was alone at his house.

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