MPT Tribunal Panel Quality Assurance
Dear Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service,
RE: MPT Tribunal Panel Quality Assurance
Can we have a copy of the code of conduct, tribunal members handbook and Quality Assurance process, appraisal or any mandatory refresher training to maintain standards for MPT tribunal members.
This is a for a Judicial review submission. As you are fully aware I am increasingly having problems with your tribunal members and its subservience to your prosecution employers, regardless of justice. Their is a huge variability of MPT panel members from those that have integrity and common-sense to those that repetitively refused to explain their decision which appears ill-considered and biased.
The common theme which I am hoping these documents will address are:
• Lay Person; Lay Legally Qualified legal member whom often use the wrong rules which are applicable to tribunals of other professions, or do not know the rules and laws, more so in non-medical issues. Common theme is refusal to acknowledge limited insight of panel.
• Lay Person; Lay Other member whom appears their for their meal ticket rather than as a safety net
• Medical Member; Medical member whom does not need a medical degree, GMC registration or be an active professional often with limited medical knowledge or inability to apply medical knowledge. I increasingly see, being shushed by the legal chair. Recently dismissed 97% medical CPD submissions (like ALS provider certificates) as being non-medical with no evidence and no ability to apply their own medical or professional knowledge.
I have not been able to find the information on https://jobs.mpts-uk.org/home.html
Can we have a copy of the code of conduct, tribunal members handbook and Quality Assurance process, appraisal or any mandatory refresher training to maintain standards for MPT tribunal members.
This is a request with a specific lawful purpose, but given medical professional candour and the spirit of the FOIA it is made on the whatdotheyknow platform. I would be grateful if the response can be provided within 20 working days without need for prompting or internal review or complaint to the ICO. I would like you to provide the information in an electronic as a pdf or open document format. As always please do not hesitate to contact me should you require clarification. Thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely,
Dr S. Ali
Nationally elected to represent doctors, on the mandate the GMC is unfit for purpose
Please excuse brevity, typos and sense that may be scrambled by autocorrect, formatting, etc
Dear S Ali,
Your information request – IR1-3794252039
Thank you for your email dated 8 January, in which you ask for a copy of
the code of conduct, tribunal members handbook and Quality Assurance
process, appraisal or any mandatory refresher training to maintain
standards for MPT tribunal members. Your request has been forward to the
Information Access Team for us to respond to.
How we will consider your request
We are going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Who to contact
Henna Janghir will be handling your request. If you have any questions you
can contact her via email at [1][email address].
Yours sincerely
Lauren Barrowcliffe
Information Access Team Assistant
[2][email address]
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Dear S Ali,
Your information request – IR1-3794252039
Thank you for your email dated 8 January 2023 requesting a copy of the
code of conduct, tribunal members handbook and Quality Assurance process,
appraisal or any mandatory refresher training to maintain standards for
MPT tribunal members. I have considered your request under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (FOIA). I apologise for the delay in our response.
As you will be aware, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is
the statutory committee of the GMC that is responsible for running
hearings and making decisions about a doctor’s fitness to practise which
is independent and separate from the investigatory role of the GMC.
The GMC (Constitution of Panels, Tribunals and Investigation Committee)
Rules [2015] require the setting and publication of the criteria which a
person must satisfy to be eligible for selection to serve as a tribunal
member. I have included a link to the criteria and competencies here:
[1]Criteria for the appointment of tribunal members.
With regards to quality assurance processes, the Quality Assurance Group
(QAG) within the MPTS is a staff group that reports to the MPTS Committee.
One of the aims of the QAG is to identify and communicate learning points
to tribunal members and MPTS staff. I have attached a copy of the QAG’s
internal guidance for your reference. I have redacted internal email
addresses and specific examples*, as well as the personal data of third
parties**. I have provided details of the relevant exemptions under FOIA
below. The QAG also periodically publishes Tribunal Circulars and I have
included a link to their most recent Circular: [2]Tribunal Circular - QAG
- Jan 22
The MPTS also publishes their Committee papers which include references to
quality assurance of tribunal members. The most recent update was from
September 2022 and can be found here: [3]MPTS Committee Meeting - Sept 22.
With regards to appraisals, the MPTS operates a feedback process whereby
after each sitting, all tribunal members complete feedback commenting on
themselves, the other two tribunal members they sat with and the tribunal
clerk. This is personalised feedback in respect of the competencies
referenced above and has nothing to do with the decision made. This
process is simply for the tribunal members’ own development and is
analysed by the MPTS.
The MPTS provides training to its members each year, which includes yearly
eLearning modules for all tribunal members.
The exemption(s)
*Section 31(1)(g) of the FOIA, leading to section 31(2)(d). This provides
that information can be exempted from disclosure if its disclosure would,
or would be likely to, prejudice the exercise by any public authority of
its functions for any of the purposes specified in subsection (2). This
exemption is subject to a public interest test. We believe that the public
interest falls in favour of maintaining the exemption.
**Section 40(2), by virtue of section 40(3A)(a) applies where the
information is the personal data of a third party and where releasing the
information would breach any of the principles relating to the processing
of personal data listed at Article 5 of the General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR). In this instance disclosure would breach the first
principle, which requires the processing of information to be lawful, fair
and transparent. I do not believe that any of the legal bases for
processing listed at Article 6 of the GDPR are met and therefore giving
you the information would be unlawful.
Who to contact
I hope you find this information useful. If you have any further concerns
or questions, please contact [4][mpts request email].
Yours sincerely
Henna Janghir
Information Access Officer
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Email: [5][email address]
Tel: 0161 923 6710
Website: [6]www.gmc-uk.org
From: FOI
Sent: 10 January 2023 14:08
To: [FOI #934252 email]
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - MPT Tribunal Panel Quality
Assurance
Dear S Ali,
Your information request – IR1-3794252039
Thank you for your email dated 8 January, in which you ask for a copy of
the code of conduct, tribunal members handbook and Quality Assurance
process, appraisal or any mandatory refresher training to maintain
standards for MPT tribunal members. Your request has been forward to the
Information Access Team for us to respond to.
How we will consider your request
We are going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Who to contact
Henna Janghir will be handling your request. If you have any questions you
can contact her via email at [7][email address].
Yours sincerely
Lauren Barrowcliffe
Information Access Team Assistant
[8][email address]
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
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