Andrea Montgomery
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Allegation
As a registered Practitioner Psychologist your fitness to practise is impaired by reason of misconduct and/or a health condition. In that:
1. 1.On 17 October 2019, you refused the Police entry to the property at which you were residing and/or obstructed the police from carrying out their duties.
2. You have a physical and/or mental health condition as set out in schedule A.
3. The matters set out in Particular 1 above constitute misconduct.
4. By reason of your misconduct and/or health your fitness to practise is impaired.
Schedule A
1. Redacted
Finding
Preliminary matter
Conducting the hearing in private
1. Mr D’Alton applies for part of the hearing to be conducted in private in order to protect the private life of the Registrant. He submits that matters relating to the Registrant’s health should be conducted in private in order to protect her private life, while all other matters should be conducted in public. Mr D’Alton submits that the issues regarding the Registrant’s health are not so inextricably linked to the other issues relating to the misconduct allegation, that it would be impractical to separate them.
2. Mr Dunn supports Mr D’Alton’s application in relation to matters regarding the Registrant’s health but submits that the whole of the hearing should be conducted in private. He does not accept that the matters of misconduct and those of health can be separated in any sensible and practical way. Mr Dunn submits that the issue of the Registrant’s health will be a central feature at all stages of the Panel’s consideration of this case, in particular when considering issues of public protection and the wider public interest.
3. Mr Dunn also submits that the Panel should have regard to the Registrant’s health which has been catastrophically affected by these events and to the potential risk of further damage should the hearing be conducted, even in part, in public. Mr Dunn emphasises that this is not a case where the concern is about the Registrant’s fear of embarrassment.
Decision
4. The Panel has considered the submissions of both parties. It has also had regard to the HCPTS Practice Note on Conducting Hearings in Private, and it has received and accepted legal advice. The Panel is aware that these proceedings should be conducted in public unless there is a compelling reason for either the whole or part of the hearing to be held in private.
5. With regard to the Registrant’s health, the Panel agrees with both parties that all matters relating to the Registrant’s health should be conducted in private in order to protect her private life.
6. With regard to the issues relating to misconduct, the Panel has carefully considered whether the matters that relate to the Registrant’s alleged misconduct should also be heard in private. The Panel has decided that there are compelling reasons for the whole of the hearing to be conducted in private.
7. First, it has determined that the misconduct matters and the health concerns are inextricably linked to such an extent that it would not be possible for them to be sensibly separated.
8. Accordingly, the Panel has decided that the whole of the hearing should be conducted in private.
Order
ORDER: The Registrar is directed to remove the name of Ms Andrea Montgomery from the register.
Notes
No notes available
Hearing History
History of Hearings for Andrea Montgomery
| Date | Panel | Hearing type | Outcomes / Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/08/2023 | Conduct and Competence Committee | Voluntary Removal Agreement | Voluntary Removal agreed |