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Sanctions

Investigating Committee

If a fitness to practise allegation is referred by the Registrar to the Investigating Committee, the committee must decide whether the case needs to be considered by the Fitness to Practise Committee.

If the Investigating Committee determines that the case does not need to be referred, it may:

  • dismiss the case
  • give a warning to the registrant and decide that details of the warning should be recorded in the register
  • give advise to the registrant, or any other person or organisation involved in the investigation
  • agree undertakings with the registrant
  • decide that a criminal prosecution should be initiated.

The Investigating Committee can also, in a health case, request a registrant to undergo a medical examination.

However, if the Investigating committee believes that the Fitness to Practise Committee will consider that the registrant's fitness to practice is impaired, it will refer the case to the Fitness to Practise Committee.

Please note that the Registrar may refer a case directly to the Fitness to Practise Committee. This could happen if, for example, the Registrar considers that the Committee should make an interim suspension order or needs to urgently consider a case (because it is in the public interest to do so).

Fitness to Practise Committee

If a fitness to practise allegation is referred to the Fitness to Practise Committee, the Committee must decide whether the registrant’s fitness to practise is impaired.

If the Committee determines that a registrant’s fitness to practise is impaired, it may:

  • give a warning to the registrant and decide that details of this warning should be recorded in the Register
  • give advice to any other person or organisation involved in the investigation
  • remove the registrant from the Register
  • suspend the registrant from the Register for up to 12 months
  • place conditions on the registrant's registration for up to three years.

However, if the Fitness to Practise Committee decides that the fitness to practise of the person concerned is not impaired, it may:

  • give a warning to the registrant and decide that details of the warning should be recorded in the Register
  • give advice to the registrant, or any other person or organisation involved in the investigation.

Please note that the Fitness to Practise Committee can also:

  • recommend that the GPhC Council to initiate criminal proceedings
  • require a registrant to undergo a medical examination (in a health case).