Holly Thomas
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Allegation
The allegation against you is now as follows:
By reason of your physical and/or mental health, your fitness to practise
as an Occupational Therapist is impaired as set out in Schedule A.
Schedule A
(REDACTED)
Finding
Preliminary Matters
Service
1. The Panel was provided with a Service Bundle, which contained an email sent to the Registrant on 14 February 2022 notifying her that, further to the notice of the substantive hearing sent to her on 26 January 2022, her hearing would now be a Voluntary Removal Agreement. This was with reference to the HCPC’s Notice of Allegation dated 23 September 2019, which alleged that the Registrant’s fitness to practise was impaired by reason of her health. The Registrant had notified the HCPC that she wished to be removed from the HCPC Register. The email stated that the hearing to consider the Voluntary Removal Agreement would take place at 10am on Monday 7 March 2022 by way of video conference and invited the Registrant to indicate whether she would be attending. Proof of service of the email was provided by a signed declaration to that effect by a Scheduling Officer at the HCPC.
Application to proceeding in absence
2. In an email dated 23 February 2022, the Registrant indicated that she would not be attending. Mr D’Alton made an application to proceed in her absence.
3. The Panel took into account the submissions made by Mr D’Alton, the papers provided, the response of the Registrant and the advice of the Legal Assessor. The Panel was satisfied that the Registrant had been properly notified of the date and remote venue of this hearing and had been provided with an opportunity to participate, had she wished to do so. In her response on 23 February 2022, the Registrant had made it clear she would not be attending and the Panel was satisfied that she had voluntarily absented herself form the hearing and thereby waived her right to be present. She had not asked that the matter be adjourned and the Panel could see no advantage to either party in adjourning the matter. It was clearly in the public interest that this matter be dealt with expeditiously and it was also in the Registrant’s own interests that this matter be resolved. Accordingly, the Panel decided it was both appropriate and fair to proceed in the absence of the Registrant.
Application to proceed in private
4. Mr D’Alton made an application for the entirety of the hearing to be conducted in private, since all matters related to the health of the Registrant.
5. The Panel considered the application with care and accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor. The Panel was cognisant of the need to conduct hearings in public so that the public were aware of the functions being carried out by the Regulator. However, the Panel was also aware that there was provision within the Rules for hearings to be held wholly or partly in private where to do so is necessary to protect the private life of a registrant. The Panel was satisfied that matters pertaining to the health of the Registrant were matters which ought to be dealt with in private and since the whole case revolves around health issues it was right to conduct the entire hearing in private.
Order
The Registrar is directed to remove the name of Miss Holly Thomas from the Register with immediate effect.
Notes
No notes available
Hearing History
History of Hearings for Holly Thomas
Date | Panel | Hearing type | Outcomes / Status |
---|---|---|---|
07/03/2022 | Conduct and Competence Committee | Final Hearing | Voluntary Removal agreed |