Session 4: How do people experience the Fitness to Practise hearing?

Introduction

Our research shows that attending a hearing as a witness can be stressful regardless of how well someone is prepared beforehand. The hearing is a very formal process, and witnesses are expected to follow the direction of the person who chairs the hearing in relation to when they are allowed to enter the hearing room, where they sit, and when they speak. Figure 1 shows an example hearing room at the General Dental Council (GDC) and chair 5 is where a witness would sit. If you click on Figure 1 you will be able to see where other people sit and who they are. The Chair of the panel will introduce who people are but will not normally name patients and a witness may be called ‘patient A’ for example or ‘witness A’.

Click on the plus signs next to each numbered chair to read who sits where.

There is usually a hearings officer or clerk to help and advise you. The panel will be seated in a formal arrangement. The registrant may or may not be present. Legal representatives (barristers or solicitors) will be present. People usually wear smart clothing.

Witnesses are not usually allowed to have their own notes or devices with them and are expected to speak only when asked a question. Witnesses are required to swear an oath (confirming that they will tell the truth); they can do this on a holy book of their choice or read out an affirmation to confirm that they will tell the truth. This is important because the purpose of regulators is to protect the public, but it is also easier for a witness to tell the truth about the facts in their witness statement. This session explores the experiences of attending a hearing and being questioned as a public witness.