Miss Ruby-May Addy

Preliminary Matters

Public/Private hearing

1. The HCPC was represented by Mr Bellis. The Registrant, although not in attendance, was represented by Mr Higgs, who confirmed that he had the Registrant’s full instructions.

2. Mr Bellis applied to the Panel for it to sit in private. He submitted that, pursuant to Rule 10(1)(a) of the Health and Care Professions Council (Health Committee) (Procedure) Rules 2003 (“the Rules”), hearings are held in public. However, the Rule also provides that the Panel may sit in private, wholly or partly, where it is satisfied that the protection of the private life of the Registrant so required. It was submitted that the case involved the Registrant’s health and it was appropriate to conduct the hearing in private. Mr Higgs, on behalf of the Registrant, was in agreement with the application.

3. The Panel took into account that the Allegation related entirely to the Registrant’s health. It also took into account the email from the Registrant dated 01 November 2024, in which the Registrant had informed the Panel that she would not be present at the hearing but would be represented by Mr Higgs and requested a sitting in private. The Panel was satisfied that,in all the circumstances, the protection of the Registrant’s private life outweighed the need for a public hearing and it decided to sit wholly in private for the hearing.

4. The Panel was convened to consider a request for consensual disposal of the Allegation. The Panel was provided with a Hearing Bundle, the HCPC’s Skeleton Argument and an email from the Registrant dated 01 November 2024. The Hearing Bundle contained a Consensual Disposal Request pro-forma, completed and signed by the Registrant. It also contained a draft Consent Order, which the Panel was asked to consider.

ORDER: That the Registrar is directed to suspend the registration of Ruby-May Addy for a period of 12 months from the date this order comes into effect.

Interim Order

Application

1. Mr Bellis applied to the Panel to make an interim suspension order, where it had ordered the suspension of the Registrant’s registration. He submitted that there was an immediate need for protection of the public, by means of an interim order.

Decision

2. 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. The Panel also considered that this interim order is in the Registrant’s own interests, due to her ongoing health conditions at this time.

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 Miss Ruby-May Addy