Fitness to practise processes
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Fitness to practise for councils/boards
How fitness to practise impacts councils and boards: key considerations
Online / In Person
Variable
About this course
Understanding fitness to practice is essential for councils and boards. Explore the key principles and processes involved in assessing professionals' fitness to practice in this course.
Course syllabus
This fitness to practise training programme for professional regulators covers the following topics:
- The A to Z of the complaints process under the governing legislation.
- Understanding the meaning of “acting in the public interest.”
- The statutory role of council/boards in the complaints process.
- The statutory role and responsibilities of the relevant committees.
- The grounds of complaint.
- The implication of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Corbally v Medical Council [2015] IESC 9.
- Understanding what serious means in the context of complaints.
- Dealing with cases that may warrant an application to the High Court for an
immediate suspension of registration. - The meaning of prima facie at the screening stage of the complaint.
- Dealing with non-prima facie findings at the screening stage of the complaint.
- Dealing with cases involving indictable convictions.
- Determining sanctions to be imposed when there are findings at an inquiry.
- What happens at sanction hearings.
- The importance of guidance and conditions banks.
- The right to appeal to the High Court.
- Sanction confirmation hearings in the High Court.
- Notification and publication under the governing legislation.
- Relevant legal judgments and updates.
Meet the trainer – Anthony Kennelly
Solicitor, BA, LLM
Anthony is a qualified solicitor and has been a part-time Programme Developer and Trainer with La Touche Training since September 2023. Anthony previously worked at leading commercial law firms and as...
Read BioPractical training with small groups to ensure quality.
Our training sessions are not lectures—they're practical, interactive experiences. The small group format allows every attendee to ask questions, take part in discussions involving practical exercises and role-plays.
This method of training allows attendees to put the skills learned into practice immediately. Course participants benefit from the focused attention and guidance of an independent expert.
The importance of fitness to practise for councils and boards
FAQs
Fitness to practise refers to whether a professional has the skills, competence, health and conduct required to practise safely and effectively. Regulatory bodies use fitness to practise procedures to address concerns that may affect public confidence or professional standards.
This course is suitable for members of regulatory councils and/or boards that consider fitness to practise matters.
Fitness to practise procedures help protect the public, maintain professional standards and ensure concerns about conduct or competence are handled fairly and consistently. They also support transparency and accountability within regulated professions.
Participants learn about regulatory frameworks, complaints handling, investigation processes, evidence assessment, hearing procedures, procedural fairness, decision making, sanction hearings, the importance of guidance and conditions banks, the right to appeal to the High Court, sanction confirmation hearings in the High Court, notification and publication under the governing legislation, and relevant legal updates.
Procedural fairness ensures individuals are treated impartially and have an opportunity to respond to allegations or evidence. Fair procedures are essential for maintaining trust, transparency and legal compliance in professional regulation.
