Declaration of Fitness to Practise

All doctors applying for registration are asked to complete a declaration of fitness to practise and final declaration. These declarations must not be more than three months old at the time that registration is approved and granted. If for any reason an application is not processed within this time we may ask the applicant to complete new fitness to practise and final declarations.

It is important that you complete the declaration honestly as any false declarations may result in the refusal, suspension, or withdrawal of registration.

If you are in any doubt about the relevancy of an issue to the declarations you are completing you should disclose it to us and provide full details.

Timescales

Due to the unique circumstances of each application it is not possible to give a fixed timescale on how long a decision may take to reach on an application for registration. Please note that in all circumstances a disclosure must be cleared by the Registration team before registration can be granted. Due to the information we will require to investigate a declaration and the decision making process, your application will take longer than the usual time to process.

Our Registration team will contact you as soon as possible upon receipt of your application to follow up any disclosures and may request additional information.

Reaching a decision

All matters that relate to an applicant’s fitness to practise are investigated in accordance with our Registration Decision procedures. For matters that relate to cautions or convictions there is a guidance framework, agreed by the Registration Committee in November 2007, that provided guidelines on how minor cautions and convictions should be investigated. If an applicant is unable to supply the documentary evidence of a certificate of conviction or caution or where we may feel it is necessary we may ask the applicant to obtain a recent Enhanced Disclosure report from the Criminal Records Bureau (this may take at least eight weeks to receive).

Please be aware that some matters may be referred for legal advice before a determination can be reached which may take up to ten working days. The Registrar may also ask an Assistant Registrar to deliberate on a matter which can take up to five working days to reach a decision. The Registrar/Assistant Registrar may postpone a decision on an application for registration if they so wish.

If you are applying for provisional registration you cannot undertake clinical duties or if applying for full registration cannot undertake a change in duties that requires full registration until all disclosures are fully investigated, the matter(s) are resolved and the appropriate registration is granted.

The table below illustrates the questions asked in the declaration and the additional information we may request.

You should complete the declaration by choosing YES or NO for each question. If you are in any doubt about the relevancy of an issue you should disclose it to us and provide full details.

Question on Declaration of Fitness to Practise

Additional Information that may be requested depending on the nature of the matter in question.

Have you ever been convicted of an offence in a court of law or been cautioned, either in the UK or another country? You must include

  • Any convictions in the UK that have been spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
  • Any road traffic convictions
  • Any offences for which you have been convicted in a military court or tribunal

If you have been cautioned, or convicted in a court of law, you must tell us:

  • The date of the caution or conviction
  • the name and address of the court or police authority and
  • the details of the penalty (if applicable) that was imposed.
  • You will need to supply evidence of the caution or conviction in the form of a caution note or conviction notice, or a recent Criminal Records Bureau report.

Please note, you do not need to supply evidence of any road traffic offences where you have accepted the option of paying a fixed penalty notice

Have you ever been issued with a fixed penalty notice either in the UK or another country?

If yes, did you contest the notice?

You may be asked for:

  • Documentary evidence of the fixed penalties received.

Please note, you do not need to supply evidence of any road traffic offences where you have accepted the option of paying a fixed penalty notice

Have you ever been issued with a penalty notice for disorder, or harassment notice, in the UK or another country?

You may be asked for:

  • Documentary evidence of the penalty or harassment notice received.

Have you ever been suspended from duty, or had a complaint upheld or your registration removed while working as a medical practitioner, or health or social care professional in the UK or another country?

You may be asked for:

  • The name of the organisation/employer involved in your suspension from duty.
  • A full statement of the matter, the nature and length of time the sanction was imposed.
  • The nature of the complaint and a named person to contact for further information.

Have you ever been refused registration by any medical, health or social care regulator in the UK or another country?

You may be asked for:

  • Details of the regulator who refused registration.
  • Documentary evidence of the grounds for refusal.
  • A full statement from you as to the background and grounds of the refusal and information of any appeal on the refusal of registration (successful or not) must be submitted.

Have you ever been fined, given a warning or reprimanded by any medical, health, social care or any other regulator in the UK or another country?

You may be asked for:

  • Details of the regulator that imposed the sanction, including your registration number.
  • Documentary evidence of the sanction/warning imposed.
  • A full statement from you of the background and grounds of sanction/warning and information if any appeal successful or not to be submitted.

Are you aware of anything about your physical and/or mental health that might raise a question about your fitness to practise as a doctor in the UK?

You may be asked for a full statement from you of the nature of the physical and/or mental condition and how it may impair your fitness to practise.

Are you aware of any aspect of your conduct and/or capability that might raise a question about your fitness to practise as a doctor in the UK?

You may be asked for a full statement from you of the issue that may be current or have arisen in the past and how it may impair your current or raise a question of your fitness to practise.

Have you ever entered into a settlement as a result of a medical malpractice or a negligence claim?

You may be asked for documentary evidence of the nature of the settlement including the nature of the medical malpractice/negligence. Please disclose if the claim was proven or disputed.

Has a medical school or university ever taken any form of disciplinary action and/or fitness to practise procedures against you?

You may be asked for:

  • Documentary evidence of the nature of the disciplinary action undertaken by your medical school.
  • Contact names and contact details (address, email and telephone number) of person(s) involved at the medical school that we can approach to secure further information and details.
  • A full statement from you on the nature of the allegation and disciplinary action taken and any other information you would wish us to consider.

Has an employer ever taken disciplinary action against you?

You may be asked for:

  • Documentary evidence of the nature of the disciplinary action undertaken by the employer.
  • Contact names and contact details (address, email and telephone number) of person(s) involved at the employing organisation that we can approach to secure further information and details.
  • A full statement on the nature of the allegation and any other information you would wish us to consider.

Do you know of any reason why the medical regulatory authority in any of the countries where you have worked since qualifying as a doctor would refuse to grant you a certificate of good standing?

You may be asked for:

  • The name of the medical regulatory authority that will not issue the Certificate of Good Standing in the country where you have worked since you qualified as a doctor.
  • Your registration details with that authority.
  • A full statement from you on the reason you have not been able to secure the Certificate(s) of Good Standing.
  • Contact names and contact details (address, email and telephone number) of other person(s) we can approach to secure further information, details or evidence of your good character/standing.

Are there, or do you know of, any current or future proceedings or other matters that might lead to your registration in any country being removed, suspended or restricted in any way?

You may be asked for a full statement and any documentary information:

  • On the nature of the proceedings.
  • The names of the regulating or employing bodies and/or persons involved in the matter(s)
  • Contact names and contact details (address, email and telephone number) of person(s) involved the proceedings/action whom we can approach to secure further information and details.
  • Any other information that you would wish us to consider with regards to the proceedings pending.