Sample HWP Group Outcome letter - referral to the WMS FtP Committee 

This sample letter provides an indication of the general layout only and is subject to regular review. The content of each letter is tailored to the specific circumstances, bespoke elements are in italics, explanatory notes are bold.

Date 

Student name

Student email address

Dear Student,

Health, Welfare and Professionalism Group – meeting date

20XX cohort, Year X, Student number 1234567

Thank you for submitting your self-referral and supporting documents to the Health, Welfare and Professionalism (HWP) Group.

OR

The Health, Welfare and Professionalism (HWP) received a referral and supporting documentation that raised concerns: Description of concern(s).

This section of the letter reflects the HWP Group’s discussion and is taken from the HWP Group notes.

Determinations

Having considered the available evidence, the Group made the following determinations:

1. Determinations taken from the HWP Group notes;

2. etc.,

3. There was sufficient evidence for the Group to be able to consider the illustrative advice on the threshold of student fitness to practise contained in paragraphs 79 and 80 of GMC/MSC Guidance ‘Professional behaviour and fitness to practise: guidance for medical students’. It was determined that the threshold might have been reached and you should be referred to the WMS Fitness to Practise (FtP) Committee. The reasons for the Group’s determinations are outlined below against the illustrative advice:

i. Has a student’s behaviour deviated from the guidance set out in Achieving good medical practice: guidance for medical students or a medical school’s own code of conduct? And might it, as a result, have harmed patients or put patients, colleagues or themselves at risk of harm?

Your behaviour had deviated from the Guidance, which you agreed to adhere to by completing the Student Agreement (the School’s code of conduct):

Relevant, description(s) of the deviation(s) from the areas of the Guidance below will be given:

• Domain 1: Knowledge, skills and performance;
• Domain 2: Safety and quality;
• Domain 3: Communication, partnership and teamwork;
• Domain 4: Maintaining trust;
• Professionalism – key areas of concern.

A statement whether the deviation(s) might, as a result, have harmed patients or put patients, colleagues or the student at risk of harm.

ii. Has a student shown a deliberate or reckless disregard for professional or clinical responsibilities towards patients, teachers or colleagues?

A statement whether the student had shown a deliberate and reckless disregard for professional responsibilities towards teachers and colleagues, and if so, with a description of how.

iii. Have attempts to improve a student’s behaviour or health failed and does the medical school identify a remaining unacceptable risk to patient safety or public confidence in the profession?

A statement whether there had been attempts to improve a student’s behaviour. If so, describing how and whether they had been successful.

A statement whether, as a result, the Medical School identified a remaining unacceptable risk to patient safety and/or public confidence in the profession.

iv. Has a student abused a patient’s trust or violated a patient’s autonomy or other fundamental rights?

A statement whether a student had abused a patient’s trust or violated a patient’s autonomy or other fundamental rights, and if so, a description of how.

v. Has a student behaved dishonestly, fraudulently or in a way designed to mislead or harm others?

A statement whether a student had dishonestly, fraudulently or in a way designed to mislead or harm others, and if so, a description of how.

vi. Might the student’s behaviour undermine public confidence in doctors generally if the medical school did not take action?

A statement whether a student’s behaviour might undermine public confidence in doctors generally if the Medical School did not act, and why, if relevant.

vii. Is a student’s health or disability compromising patient safety?

A statement whether a student’s health or disability was/might in the future compromise patient safety, and why, if relevant

4. If health conditions and/or disabilities are a factor, then the following will be included:

GMC/MSC Guidance ‘Professional behaviour and fitness to practise: guidance for medical students’, paragraph 33, states that in most cases, health conditions and disabilities do not affect a medical student’s fitness to practise, as long as they demonstrate appropriate insight, seek appropriate medical advice and comply with treatment.

Statement describing the circumstances around the student’s health and/or disability, and how that has been considered as part of the determination.

The student might be invited to undergo an independent occupational health, clinical or psychiatric assessment and provide reports from any healthcare professional involved with their long-term healthcare to the Group, WMS FtP Committee and the health practitioner conducting the assessment. The assessment report will be shared with the WMS FtP Committee. 

Investigating Officer

An investigating officer (IO) will be appointed and they will contact you separately. The investigation report and any accompanying documentation will be submitted to the WMS FtP Committee.

WMS FtP Committee

You are invited you to attend the next meeting of the WMS FtP Committee on date at time in the Medical School Building, Room XXX. Please let me know if you need any adjustments to be able to attend the meeting.

While this date seems some time in the future and although it is in the interests of all concerned to have this a matter addressed as soon as possible, it will take time for the IO to conduct their investigation and to undertake the independent health assessment (if relevant) and to ensure that you have the opportunity to seek appropriate advice/support and prepare for the meeting.  

You will be provided with the Committee papers prior to the meeting. In the meantime, please provide me with copies of any additional information you feel is relevant, including any relevant medical reports. You may make written representations, which can include written supporting statements from other people. Please send any additional documentation to me by date - normally one week before the meeting. Please note that the Committee may ask for other documentation prior to the meeting.

You may be accompanied at the meeting by a student friend, a representative of the Office of the Dean of Students, a representative of Warwick’s Students’ Union, or a member of the legal profession. If you would like to be accompanied by someone outside of these criteria, please let me know. The role of the companion is to provide you with support and advice and they will not be permitted to act on your behalf, as you must make your own representations.

The Committee information is available on The Health, Welfare and Professionalism page.

Next steps

1. Please let me know if you will be attending the meeting and whether you will be accompanied. If so, please provide their name and in what capacity they are attending.

If relevant:

2. Please let me know whether you agree to undergo an independent health assessment, which will be arranged and funded by WMS. If so, you will be contacted with the details;

3. You are requested to provide all relevant medical reports from any healthcare professional involved with your long-term healthcare and your consent for them to be shared with the HWP Group, the WMS FtP Committee and the independent health assessor.

In the meantime, we appreciate that this will be an extremely difficult time for you as you continue on your course. Please maintain a regular dialogue with the WMS Student Support Team and share with them any concerns you may have. The University’s Wellbeing Support Services are also there to help you. If you have any questions regarding the WMS FtP Committee procedures please do not hesitate to let me know.

Please note that you will be required to report this information in your future studies and employment in line with GMC Guidance.

Yours sincerely

Neil Stockton

Chair of the Health, Welfare and Professionalism Group

cc: Deputy Senior Tutor

Appendices:

1. REDACTED notes from the HWP Group meeting on date;

2. Referral and supporting documents