Mrs Niranjana B Kara
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Allegation
As a registered Radiographer (RA28773) your fitness to practice is impaired by reason of a health condition.
In that:
1. You have a physical and/or mental health condition as set out in Schedule A.
2. By reason of your health, your fitness to practice is impaired.
Schedule A
[Redacted]
Finding
The Skeleton Argument.
2. For the purposes of this hearing, the HCPC has submitted and the Panel has read a Skeleton Argument, signed by the Case Manager and dated 20 September 2021 [the Skeleton Argument]. Ms Welsh in her oral submissions to the Panel, adopted and amplified the submissions made in the Skeleton Argument.
Preliminary Matters
Service and Proceeding in Absence
3. The Panel has seen the Notice of today’s hearing dated 05 August 2021 which the HCPC sent by email to the Registrant at her registered email address. The Notice of Hearing made clear that this hearing would take place today as a virtual hearing. The Notice informed the Registrant of the time and date of this hearing.
4. Having heard Ms Welsh on behalf of the HCPC and having heard and accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor, the Panel was satisfied that good service of the Notice of Hearing has taken place.
Proceeding in the absence of the Registrant.
5. The Panel has seen an email dated 30 July 2021 from the Registrant in which she says that she is not attending this hearing. This email was in reply to a previous email from a scheduling officer of the HCPC dated 30 July 2021, informing the Registrant that she did not have to attend the hearing, if she did not wish to do so. The email from the scheduling officer was itself a reply to a previous email from the Registrant dated 29 July 2021, enquiring whether she was obliged to attend the hearing. The Panel has read all three documents.
6. Ms Welsh on behalf of the HCPC, submitted that the Panel should consider the case in the absence of the Registrant.
7. The Panel heard and accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor.
8. The Panel was aware that a decision to proceed in the absence of the Registrant was one to be taken with great care and caution. However, the Panel has decided to proceed in the absence of the Registrant. The reasons are as follows:
• Service of the appropriate notice of this hearing has been properly effected.
• The Registrant has not applied for an adjournment.
• The Registrant has informed the HCPC by email that she does not wish to attend this hearing.
• The Panel has kept in mind the guidance contained in the Practice Note issued by the HCPTS.
• There is no reason to suppose that an adjournment would result in the future attendance of the Registrant.
• There is a public interest in proceeding in order to bring these proceedings to a conclusion, which is the wish of both the Registrant and the HCPC.
• In these circumstances it is right to conclude that the Registrant has voluntarily absented herself.
Proceeding in private
9. Ms Welsh on behalf of the HCPC, submitted that as this hearing related to the health of the Registrant, the entirety of the hearing should be held in private. Having heard and accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor and for the reasons advanced by Ms Welsh, the Panel directed that the entirety of the hearing should be in private.
Order
Order:
That the HCPC may withdraw the allegation set out above and the Registrant is to be permitted to remove her name from the HCPC Register, with immediate effect.
Notes
No notes available
Hearing History
History of Hearings for Mrs Niranjana B Kara
| Date | Panel | Hearing type | Outcomes / Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23/09/2021 | Health Committee | Voluntary Removal Agreement | Voluntary Removal agreed |