Fitness to practise at the point of provisional registration for UK graduates Richard Amison Head of Registration Applications Rebecca Morris UK Applications Manager

What is provisional registration  Provisional registration is defined in the Medical Act as: “…enabling persons wishing to complete an acceptable programme for provisionally registered doctors to participate in such a programme.”  It restricts those holding it to only working in an ‘acceptable programme’ as defined by the GMC. This is the UK Foundation Programme year 1.

Requirements for obtaining provisional registration  Must have successfully graduated from a GMC recognised UK medical school.  Fitness to practise must not be impaired. If these two criteria are met an applicant has an entitlement to provisional registration under section 15 of the Medical Act 1983.

UK application assessment process overview

The test of fitness to practise  Based on the test for registered practitioners  BUT differs in several key ways:  No conditional registration  No transferrable undertakings  ‘Clean slate’ at the start of registration

Factors to consider  How long ago?  How severe?  Single incident or part of a pattern?  Already considered by medical school?  Remediation – possible or already happened?

Case study one  Applicant accepted a caution for sexual activity with a minor immediately prior to entering medical school  Unblemished five years at medical school  Fully supportive references  Caution not spent given the nature of the offence

Case study 2  Conviction for speeding  Appeared before medical school FTP committee on allegations of violent behaviour and driving under influence of drugs – not upheld  History of substance misuse and depression  Recent history of methadone and cannabis use  Substance misuse and depression not declared on initial application

Why we changed our FTP questions  Changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) introduced, May 2013  Nacro made us aware of this November 2013  We consulted legal and policy and developed new guidance and FTP questions  We introduced the new question and guidance to applicants April 2014

What we’ve changed in our FTP questions  We no longer ask applicants to declare cautions and convictions that are protected under ROA  There is a list of offences that can never be protected (sexual/violent), on DBS website  The onus is on the applicant to use the guidance to see if an offence is protected  We are not experts – contact Nacro for support

Rebecca Morris – UK Applications Manager / Phone: Richard Amison– Head of Applications / Phone: Frances Conway– Head of Investigation and Intelligence / Phone: Further questions?