The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has awarded new funding to research witnesses’ experience of giving evidence during health and social care workers fitness to practise hearings. This will enable a new focus on the social work, social care and early years professionals we regulate.
The project, Witness to harm, holding to account: Improving patient, family and colleague witnesses’ experiences of Fitness to Practise proceedings, mainly focuses on cases where there are allegations of harm. This focus should help the SSSC, other regulators and employers identify potential improvements to support witnesses whose role in giving evidence is crucial to a fair hearing.
Hannah Coleman, SSSC Head of Regulatory Improvement and Hearings welcomed the new funding:
‘We are delighted the project has been expanded to include the SSSC. Our involvement is part of our coordinated work to improve the support provided to all parties involved in fitness to practise investigations and hearings.’
You can find out more about the project on The Open University’s website https://www.open.ac.uk/research/news/improving-experience-witnesses-health-and-care-professional-practice-proceedings