PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS OF PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL MEDICAL STUDENTS AND PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL VETERINARY STUDENTS

Introduction

1. The Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel (MVSPP) shall be a joint body of the Faculty Boards of Biology, Clinical Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine in consultation with the Colleges.

2. The MVSPP shall review or advise on the progress of a student having regard to:

1. (i)academic performance including failure in M.B. or Vet.M.B. examinations;
2. (ii)ill health.
3. Additionally, the advice of the MVSPP may be sought as a result of:
4. (iii)cause for concern about the student’s conduct but not meriting immediate referral to the Fitness to Practise Committee or Veterinary Fitness to Practise Committee.

The Roles, Duties, and Composition of the Medical and Veterinary Student Progress Panel (MVSPP)

3. The MVSPP shall consist of:

1. (a)the Director of Medical Education in the Clinical School (who shall chair the MVSPP);
2. (b)the Director of Education (Biological Sciences) in the Faculty of Biology;
3. (c)the Director of Teaching in the Veterinary School;
4. (d)the Clinical Sub-Dean (West Suffolk Hospital);
5. (e)three members appointed by the Senior Tutors’ Committee;
6. (f)one member appointed by the Faculty Board of Biology;
7. (g)one member appointed by the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine;
8. (h)one member appointed by the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine;
9. (i)an administrative officer appointed by the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine and an administrative officer appointed by the Faculty Board of Veterinary Medicine (who shall act as joint secretaries to the MVSPP).

4. In respect of each individual case before the MVSPP, all members of the MVSPP shall be required to make a declaration of interest in the case.

5. Members in classes (e)–(h) shall be appointed in the Michaelmas Term to serve for three years from 1 January following their appointment.

6. The duties of the MVSPP shall include:

1. (a)to meet termly, and whenever there is any business to consider, to provide expert advice to the Colleges, and to work with Colleges to ensure that students who have not achieved the required academic standard or are experiencing health or other personal problems receive appropriate support;
2. (b)to review the progression of all students annually in the Michaelmas Term;
3. (c)to review all requests made on behalf of medical and veterinary students for additional attempts in exceptional circumstances at M.B. and Vet.M.B. examinations, and to give advice to the relevant Faculty Board;
4. (d)to prepare an annual summary report on any issues arising for the attention of Senior Tutors and Faculty Boards.

7. Five members shall constitute a quorum. The MVSPP shall report to the Faculty Boards of Biology, Clinical Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.

Appeal Process for F1 Doctors

Introduction

1. A holder of the degree of M.B.B.Chir. from the University who seeks full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) and who satisfies the requirements of the Medical Act 1983 as to experience, may apply to the University for a Certificate of Experience under Section 10 of that Act following satisfactory completion of an approved Foundation Year Programme (F1 Programme) of placements in a formal employment setting. In these procedures, a doctor with a degree of M.B.B.Chir. from the University on an approved F1 Programme is referred to as a ‘F1 doctor'.

2. The initial decision to provide a Certificate of Experience to a F1 doctor who holds a M.B.B.Chir. from the University, is taken, on behalf of the University, by Health Education East of England (HEEoE) which is the Local Education and Training Board (LETB) linked to the University. This decision is based on evidence, collated for the Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP), that the F1 doctor has completed the requirements of the Foundation Programme Curriculum for Foundation Year 1. This evidence is collated by the LETB (or equivalent body) linked to the F1 doctor's Foundation School.

3. In these procedures, the LETB (or equivalent body) linked to the F1 doctor's Foundation School is referred to as ‘the LETS'. The LETS makes a recommendation to HEEoE on whether the F1 doctor has completed the requirements of the Foundation Programme Curriculum for Foundation Year 1 (approved by the GMC). In any case in which the LETB recommends that the F1 doctor has not completed the requirements of the Foundation Programme Curriculum and that the F1 doctor be released from the Foundation Programme, HEEoE will decline to issue a Certificate of Experience and the F1 doctor may appeal to the University under these procedures.

4. Such appeals will normally only be heard after the initial period of F1 training has been extended by the LETS due to the F1 doctor concerned being unable to provide evidence of the acquisition of competences and performance in practice in accordance with the requirements of the Foundation Programme curriculum.

5. Appeals with respect to a decision to extend the F1 year of training will normally be heard by the LETS.

The composition, roles, and duties of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel

6. A F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall be appointed to consider an appeal which is made by a F1 doctor in respect of a decision by the LETS to recommend the F1 doctor is released from the Foundation Programme (ARCP Outcome 4). A F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall be appointed by the Registrary, following consultation with the Director of Medical Education of the Clinical School of the University, as soon as practicable after receiving the notice of the appeal. The F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall comprise the Director of Medical Education of the Clinical School of the University as Chair (or a nominated deputy) and a minimum of four other members, one of whom shall not be a GMC-registered medical practitioner.

7. The Secretary of the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine, or her or his nominated deputy, shall serve as Clerk to the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel.

8. No member of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall have had any material involvement or interest in respect of the individual case before the panel. All members of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall be required to make a declaration of interest in the case.

F1 Doctor Appeal Panel procedures

9. A F1 doctor may appeal on one or more of the following grounds:

1.  (i)irregularity in the process followed by the LETS;
2.  (ii)the coming to light of fresh evidence, which was not available and/or presented to the LETS for a good reason;
3.  (iii)the recommendation of the LETS was manifestly unreasonable.

10. A notice of appeal shall be in writing and shall be received by the LETS within twenty-one days of the F1 doctor being notified of the decision.

11. The notice of appeal shall state the grounds on which the appeal is made. The F1 doctor shall not be entitled to rely, during the appeal, without the permission of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel, on any grounds other than those set out in the notice of appeal.

12. On receipt of the notice of appeal, the LETB shall inform the Registrary and the Director of Medical Education of the Clinical School of the University. The Registrary shall then appoint a F1 Doctor Appeal Panel to determine the appeal.

13. If the F1 doctor formally withdraws, in writing, from the F1 Programme at this stage, the LETB shall confirm the position in writing with the F1 doctor and shall inform the Registrary and the Director of Medical Education. The Clerk of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall write to the F1 doctor to confirm that no further action will be taken on the appeal.

14. The Chair of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall determine the procedure to be adopted by the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel which shall normally include:

1. (a)informing the F1 doctor of the persons appointed to be members of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel;
2. (b)informing the F1 doctor and the LETB of the evidence required for consideration by the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel;
3. (c)informing the F1 doctor and the LETB of the names of any persons who may be asked to attend a F1 Doctor Appeal Panel hearing to give evidence and setting out the basis upon which the F1 doctor may call persons who may have information relevant to the case to give evidence either orally at the hearing or in writing;
4. (d)setting a timetable for the progress of the proceedings, including time limits for each step of the proceedings and making arrangements for any hearing.

15. The Clerk of the Appeal Panel shall inform the F1 doctor of the procedure to be followed and whether he or she is required to attend any appeal hearing.

16. If the F1 doctor has good cause to object to the membership of a F1 Doctor Appeal Panel, he or she shall provide grounds to the Clerk of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel in writing within seven days of being notified of the membership of the panel. The Registrary shall decide whether to replace that member of the panel and shall appoint an alternative member as considered appropriate. The Clerk of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall inform the F1 doctor accordingly. The decision of the Registrary shall be final.

17. The F1 doctor may choose to be accompanied by another person chosen by her or him. The F1 doctor shall, at least seven days in advance of any hearing, inform the Clerk of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel of the identity and contact details of any such person, her or his relationship to the F1 doctor (if any) and the capacity in which he or she is attending.

18. The hearing shall be held in private unless the Chair of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel agrees to a request from the F1 doctor that the hearing be held in public.

19. The Chair of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall determine the procedure for the conduct of any hearing. The Clerk of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall notify the F1 doctor and the members of the panel of the procedure to be followed.

20. The F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall consider its decision in private. The Clerk of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall be present throughout the hearing and throughout consideration by the panel of its decision.

21. The F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall normally make a decision on the day of the hearing. If this is not possible the panel shall reserve its decision for a later date to be notified to the parties. The decision of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall be by a simple majority and the Chair shall have a casting vote.

22. The F1 Doctor Appeal Panel may confirm the original decision, or may substitute the previous decision with the recommendation of an alternative course of action in accordance with the options available under F1 Programme guidance.

23. As soon as possible, normally within seven days from the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel hearing, the Clerk of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel shall inform the F1 doctor in writing of the decision.

24. The decision of the F1 Doctor Appeal Panel is final and there is no further right of appeal within the University.

25. The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine and the LETS shall make a record of the decision and any recommendations or actions to be taken.

26. The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine shall send a copy of the record to the LETB, HEEoE, and the General Medical Council.