Dear Ms Adshead

Thank you for your email dated 12 February 2018, in which you ask for the
average cost of a fitness to practise hearing.

We are treating this as a request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA).

We will deal with your request as promptly as possible and, at the latest,
within 20 working days of receiving your request, as required by the FOIA.
If you have any queries about your request please do contact us using this
email address, or the address below.

The reference number for your request is FR05523.

Yours sincerely

Maxine Pryce

Information Governance Officer

Health and Care Professions Council

Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road

London SE11 4BU

[1]www.hcpc-uk.org

To sign up to our e-newsletter, please email [2][email address]

Please consider the environment before printing this email

Correspondence is welcome in English or Welsh / Gallwch ohebu yn Gymraeg
neu Saesneg.

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Our Ref. FR05523

Dear Ms Adshead

Thank you for your email dated 12 February 2018, in which you ask for the
average cost of a fitness to practise hearing.

Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(FOIA).

Please find below our response to your questions.

Please, could you tell me how much a 'typical' hearing costs for the HCPC.
Is there an average 'day-rate' or do costs vary per case?

The cost of a hearing will vary from case to case and is dependent upon a
number of factors. For example:

·         The number of days over which the hearing will be heard

·         The number of witnesses

·         The use of expert witnesses

·         The venue of the hearing – Hearings for registrants are held in
the country of residence. Therefore, hearings for registrants whose
registered address is in Scotland will be held in Scotland. As such, this
will incur additional costs for venue hire and travel/accommodation of
panel members

·         Any special measures required

For example, if you have been investigating a registrant and it takes 2
years for it to eventually go to a fitness to practice hearing. That
hearing then takes 4 days and there is no case to answer. How much has
that case cost? And who 'pays' for that?

As above, this will vary on a number of factors but is not affected by the
outcome of the hearing. However, for a hearing lasting 4 days without an
expert witness and held at HCPTS tribunal suite, the average cost would be
£8,873 (excluding legal services and employee costs).

In terms of who pays for this, as per our annual reports (available on our
website), all our operational costs are funded by fees from registrants.

Internal review

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request a review by writing to:

Secretariat Department

Health and Care Professions Council

Park House

184 Kennington Park Road

London

SE11 4BU

Email: [1][email address]

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK0 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113  Website: [2]www.ico.org.uk

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information

Health and Care Professions Council

Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road

London SE11 4BU

[3]www.hcpc-uk.org

To sign up to our e-newsletter, please email [4][email address]

Please consider the environment before printing this email

Correspondence is welcome in English or Welsh / Gallwch ohebu yn Gymraeg
neu Saesneg.

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