Mr Jonathan Ryder

Preliminary Matters
Service
1. Documentation was provided to evidence that the Registrant had been sent a notice of hearing in good time. The Panel accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor and determined that good service had been effected in accordance with Rule 3 of the Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003, (“the Rules”).

Proceeding in absence
2. The HCPC applied for the hearing to proceed in the absence of the Registrant. The Panel accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor and took account of the principles outlined in the HCPTS Practice Note on Proceeding in the Absence of the Registrant. The Panel bore in mind the following:
i) The Registrant had not engaged or communicated in any way with the HCPC providing no explanation for his absence;
ii) No application to adjourn had been received from him, or on his behalf;
iii) In those circumstances it was not possible to determine whether an adjournment would secure his attendance on a future occasion, or how long such an adjournment should be for.

3. In all the circumstances, the Panel noted the Registrant’s lack of engagement and that there had been no application for an adjournment. It considered that there is interest in cases proceeding in a timely fashion and that delay can have a negative impact on the memories of witnesses. Having found good service proved, the Panel considered that the Registrant had voluntarily absented himself and that balancing his interest and those of the HCPC, and the public, that it was fair and just to proceed in his absence.

Private
4. The HCPC applied for matters in relation to the Registrant’s health to be heard in private. The Panel applied the principles included within the Practice Note on Conducting Hearings in Private. It accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor that while most fitness to practise hearings are held in public, panels have the discretion to exclude the press or public from all or part of a hearing in appropriate cases. It determined that in this case, it would hear personal and sensitive details about the Registrant’s health and that it was appropriate that the entirety of the case was held in private in order to protect the Registrant’s privacy.

5. As such, this is the redacted version of the decision.

The Registrar is directed to suspend the name of Mr Jonathan Ryder for a period of 12 months from the date that this Order takes effect.

Interim Order

1. The Panel makes an Interim Suspension Order under Article 31(2) of the Health Professions Order 2001, the same being necessary to protect members of the public and being otherwise in the public interest.
2. This order will expire: (if no appeal is made against the Panel’s decision and Order) upon the expiry of the period during which such an appeal could be made; (if an appeal is made against the Panel’s decision and Order) the final determination of that appeal, subject to a maximum period of 18 months.

History of Hearings for Mr Jonathan Ryder