Laura S McArthur

Preliminary Matters

Service

1. The Panel was satisfied based on the documents contained in the service bundle that the Registrant had been properly served with notice of the hearing by email on 7 August 2025 in accordance with the Rules.

2. The Panel noted email correspondence within the service bundle with the Registrant’s representative, Mr Shadenbury of Unison. On 19 August 2025, Mr Shadenbury responded to the HCPC’s email (in respect of service of any documentation to be relied upon by the Registrant) as follows:

“…I am still in the process of obtaining instructions, but in respect of the previous panel's recommendations, it should be noted that the Registrant is not currently working [redacted].”

Proceeding in the absence of the Registrant

3. The Registrant nor her representative Mr Shadenbury were in attendance. Ms Sampson, on behalf of the HCPC therefore made an application for the Panel to proceed with the hearing in the absence of the Registrant. Ms Sampson directed the Panel to the Practice Note in respect of “Proceeding in the Absence of the Registrant”. She informed the Panel that the Registrant and her representative would have been aware of today’s hearing on the basis of the correspondence before the panel. Ms Sampson noted that there had been no application to adjourn matters, and she submitted in all the circumstances it would be unlikely that an adjournment would result in the Registrant’s attendance. Ms Sampson submitted that, given the short time left before the expiry of the order, it was in the public interest to proceed with the review hearing without delay.

4. The Panel considered the HCPTS Practice Note on “Proceeding in the Absence of the Registrant” and accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor. The Panel was satisfied that the Registrant and/or her representative would have been aware of today’s hearing and had chosen not to attend. The Panel noted that there had been no application for the hearing to be adjourned. The Panel therefore considered that the Registrant had voluntarily absented herself and waived her right to attend. The Panel further considered that an adjournment of today’s hearing would be unlikely to secure the Registrant’s attendance at a future date, and therefore no useful purpose would be served by an adjournment. The Panel considered the order was due to expire relatively shortly and there was a need to determine matters without undue delay. In the circumstances the Panel was satisfied that it was in the public interest for the hearing to proceed in the absence of the Registrant.

Privacy

5. Ms Sampson applied to conduct the entire hearing in private given the significant health issues that arise. She submitted that the matters arising cannot be sufficiently separated to enable only part of the hearing to be held in private.

6. The Panel heard and accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor who referred to the HCPTS Practice Note “Conducting Hearings in Private”.

7. The Panel was mindful that there are significant aspects regarding the Registrant's health issues in this case which are intrinsically linked to the other parts of the case. The Panel concluded that it was appropriate to depart from the open justice principle and to conduct the entire hearing in private in order to protect the Registrant's private life, and that matters of the Registrant's health provided a compelling reason to do so. As such, this is a redacted version of the Panel’s full decision.

ORDER: The Registrar is directed to suspend the registration of Ms Laura S Mcarthur for a period of 12 months from the date this order comes into effect.

No notes available

History of Hearings for Laura S McArthur