Wendy Jones
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Allegation
As a registered Occupational Therapist (OT52675) your fitness to practise is impaired by reason of health condition. In that:
1. You have a physical and/or mental health condition as set out in Schedule A.
2. By reason of the matter set out above, your fitness to practise is impaired by reason of your health.
Finding
Preliminary Matters
1. The Panel has been convened to consider an application made jointly by the Registrant and the HCPC that a Voluntary Removal Agreement (“VRA”) should be permitted to take effect.
Proceeding in the absence of the Registrant
2. As the Registrant did not attend this hearing, it was necessary for the Panel to be satisfied that it was appropriate to consider the application in her absence. A valid notice of hearing was sent to both the Registrant and her Representative (a Professional Services Officer of her Union) on 20 September 2024. From the emails sent by the Registrant’s Representative to the HCPC’s Solicitors on 11 November 2024, and 14 November 2024, it was clear that a conscious decision had been taken by both the Registrant and her Representative not to attend the hearing. The Panel fully understood the reason for that decision, taking the view that the Registrant’s position on the application was made perfectly clear by the fact that she had signed the VRA. Furthermore, today’s date is included in the VRA as the “operative date”, and that means that if the Panel did not deal with the matter today it would be necessary for a fresh document to be executed, with a new operative date as the hearing date for the application to be considered. All of these factors mean that it is in the interests of both the Registrant and the HCPC, as well as being in the public interest, to proceed today.
Application to hold the hearing in private
3. After the Panel stated that it was satisfied that it was appropriate to continue with the hearing in the Registrant’s absence, Mr Ross applied on behalf of the HCPC for a direction that the hearing should be conducted in private. The basis of the application was that the Allegation underpinning this hearing was one concerning the Registrant’s health, and the direction sought was necessary to protect the Registrant’s private life.
4. The Panel, having taken and accepted the Legal Assessor’s advice, and having considered the HCPTS Practice Notes entitled, “Health Concerns”, and “Conducting Hearings in Private” (and, in particular, paragraph 9 of the former and paragraph 13 of the latter) decided that the direction sought should be made for the reasons advanced on behalf of the HCPC.
Order
ORDER: The Registrar is directed to remove the name of Miss Wendy Jones from the Register with immediate effect.
Notes
No notes available
Hearing History
History of Hearings for Wendy Jones
| Date | Panel | Hearing type | Outcomes / Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15/11/2024 | Health Committee | Voluntary Removal Agreement | Voluntary Removal agreed |