Preparing for your HCPC Hearing What to expect
Home → Information → Fitness to Practise → HCPC Fitness to Practise → HCPC Hearings
Your HPCPC hearing
Unless specifically agreed, our fee does not include our physical attendance at your hearing. The barrister we have instructed to represent you will meet you at the venue. We will have advised you of the time to meet them on the first day of the hearing, usually at least 30 minutes before the hearing is due to start. If your hearing is due to last for more than one day, the time you need to return on each further day will be agreed with your barrister.
Where to go
Unless specified otherwise your HCPC hearing will take place at:
Address
HCPC Kennington Road
London
SE11 4PT
Please note: this is a different address than the Head Office address which appears on all of the correspondence you will have received from the HCPC about your case. The venue is less than a 5-minute walk from the Oval and Kennington tube stations on the Northern Line. The venue is open Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm.
What to do on arrival
When you arrive, report to reception giving your name and the name of the case and you will be given a visitor pass and advised which room your hearing will be in. Hearings take place on more than one floor at the HCPC.
You will be directed to a small room on the same floor as your hearing room that is allocated for the use of you and your barrister for the duration of your hearing so that you have somewhere private to meet and discuss your case.
What to expect
Your hearing will take place in a large meeting room with tables and chairs positioned for you and your barrister, the HCPC lawyer, the panel, the legal advisor, the hearings officer, the transcription officer (taking notes of the proceedings) and any witnesses.
Unless it is specifically agreed that your case will take place in private, it is important that you are aware that hearings are open to the public who can come in and observe proceedings.
There can be a number of breaks during your hearing, when the panel retire to make a decision on each stage of the process, but also if the HCPC lawyers need to take instructions on a specific point or something particular is raised during proceedings and your barrister asks for time to discuss it with you in private.
What to bring
You only need to bring yourself to the hearing, unless we have specifically advised you to take anything else. Usually we will have included all of your evidence, certificates etc in the hearing bundle, but if you have any additional, recent evidence that you think may be useful do take that to the hearing with you.
You may prefer to attend on your own, but you can bring a family member, friend or colleague with you if you want to. They can come into the hearing with you to observe, or just stay in the room allocated to you and be there to support you during breaks in proceedings.
You may want to consider bringing a magazine, book or iPad with you, to keep you occupied and distracted during any longer breaks.
Remember to bring any medication with you that you need to take during the day, as the day can be quite long.
Bring money to buy lunch locally as the HCPC do not provide lunch.
What to do in advance
Try to have a good night’s sleep and plan your journey in advance, allowing extra time to ensure you arrive at the venue in good time and not flustered.
Have a read through your witness statement and any reflective piece you have written (if applicable) to refresh you on the details of your case, but also to reassure you that you are prepared.
What to do during the hearing
Until it is time for you to give your evidence (unless it has been agreed that you are not doing this), your barrister will speak on your behalf during the hearing, presenting your case and asking questions of the witnesses as appropriate.
When you give evidence, it is important that you speak clearly and as calmly as possible. Take your time and do not rush. Your barrister will guide you through this.
There will then be an opportunity for the HCPC lawyer and then the Panel to ask you questions. Listen carefully and remember to ask the question as it has been asked. Take a deep breath and think carefully about your answer before speaking. If you are not sure what a question means, then ask. Do not be afraid to ask questions if anything is not clear.
Facilities
There are toilets, including disabled facilities, within the building, although these may not be on the same floor as your hearing.
There is access to drinking water, tea, coffee and biscuits on each floor within the building.
There is a small supermarket next door to the building and a café opposite which you can easily access during longer breaks.
