What this means
Start with the exact decision in front of you.
GOC hearings may be remote, in person, on the papers or partly private depending on the case. Preparation should address directions, evidence, witnesses and the distinct findings the panel must make.
Immediate priorities
Organise the position before responding.
Confirm format, dates and procedural directions
Audit clinical records, expert evidence and witnesses
Prepare structured positions on facts, impairment and outcome
Detailed guidance
The procedure, evidence and possible route from here.
01
Convert the allegation into a hearing plan
A GOC Fitness to Practise Committee hearing addresses the allegations referred to it, not every disagreement surrounding the complaint. Build a schedule of particulars, admissions, disputed facts, witnesses and source documents. Mark which facts bear on impairment and which material is relevant only if outcome is reached. This structure allows clinical evidence, conduct evidence and present-practice material to be used for the correct decision rather than mixed into one narrative.
Follow case-management directions on disclosure, witness statements, expert evidence, agreed facts and hearing format. The GOC may hold hearings remotely, in person or on the papers in appropriate circumstances. Confirm how confidential patient records will be paginated and redacted, how witnesses will access the hearing and how private matters will be raised. A remote hearing still requires a quiet setting, reliable connection and secure access to the bundle.
- Create a live issues and evidence schedule
- Comply with every case-management direction
- Plan secure participation for the hearing format
02
Prepare clinical, expert and witness evidence carefully
A clinical witness should identify what they personally observed and distinguish it from later information. Patient records can refresh memory but should not be used to create certainty where none exists. If the case turns on accepted professional practice, expert evidence should use a clear instruction, relevant specialty and complete source set. Compare competing opinions by method, assumptions and reasoning rather than credentials alone.
The registrant should understand the sequence and purpose of questions without memorising a script. Preparation can test chronology, terminology and consistency with documents. It should also identify difficult points that require a candid explanation. If health or vulnerability affects participation, seek suitable measures before the hearing. Reliable evidence is easier to give when the process is accessible, but adjustments should preserve fair testing by the committee and other party.
- Keep first-hand evidence distinct from inference
- Test expert reasoning and assumptions
- Prepare the registrant for process, not a script
03
Plan for facts, impairment and outcome
Once factual findings are made, the committee considers whether fitness to practise is impaired at the hearing date. Evidence of insight, remediation, current competence and risk of repetition belongs here, together with the wider need to uphold standards and confidence. A registrant may reflect on professional duties while maintaining an honestly held factual position, but the account must engage with any findings the committee ultimately makes.
If outcome follows, use the current indicative sanctions guidance and address the least restrictive sufficient response. Conditions need precise wording and evidence that an employer can implement them. After the determination, distinguish any substantive sanction, immediate order and review requirement. Effective dates can differ. Obtain the written reasons and calculate any appeal period from the proper rule rather than relying on a summary announced at the hearing.
- Prepare current-impairment evidence before the hearing
- Offer workable terms if conditions are proposed
- Record each order and effective date separately
Key questions
Keep the analysis tied to this stage.
Which facts are proved
Whether fitness to practise is impaired
What action is proportionate under current guidance
Advice is provided only by the regulated firm that accepts a matter.
Common questions
Clarifying the route without assuming the outcome.
Are GOC substantive hearings usually public?
The GOC states that substantive hearings are generally public, but all or part may be private in appropriate circumstances. Check the notice and seek any privacy measure through the proper process.
Can a GOC hearing take place on the papers?
The GOC identifies on-the-papers hearings as one available format. Suitability depends on the case and directions; do not assume attendance is unnecessary without formal confirmation.
Connected guidance
Continue through the topic map.
Use the hub for the full sequence or choose the connected route that matches the notice.
Official sources
Check the material for this question.
Sources checked 19 September 2026. Rules change, so compare the current notice and linked official material and tell the operator if a citation or summary needs correction.