Should the regulators receive the outcomes of student fitness to practise committees?

Should the regulators receive the outcomes of student fitness to practise committees?

In our 2008/2009 performance review report we said that we would examine whether the regulators should receive every outcome of student fitness to practise committees.

Student fitness to practise issues are usually handled by the education provider, although the General Optical Council have registered students on optometry and optics courses since 2005 and manage fitness to practise complaints against these students.

Research from the USA on doctors’ fitness to practise before and after registering with medical regulators has found that ‘unprofessional behaviour’ as a student is associated with regulators taking action on fitness to practise issues at a later date. This suggests to us that there is value and benefit in terms of public protection in regulators considering student fitness to practise outcomes.

As they complete their training students apply to the regulator to join the register. The outcomes of student fitness to practise committees would be of interest to the regulator because a statement of good character (or its equivalent) is required for registration.

We believe that it is in the interests of public protection to share an individual student’s fitness to practise sanctions with a regulator. Having looked at different options, in the interests of public protection, our report makes the following recommendations:

• The student and the education provider should declare information about student fitness to practise sanctions to the regulator. It is for regulators to decide how and when they seek this information prior to registration.
   
• Regulators should collect data about student fitness to practise in their role in quality assuring the provision of pre-registration education and training. This should be used to improve standards of education and training and to improve the provision of guidance to students about professional conduct and competence.
   
• Regulators should work with education providers to share good practice in the management of student fitness to practise issues.

You can read more about this in our report.