A free knowledge hub from Regulation Resolution Solicitors. From the first letter to the final decision — what your regulator is doing, what it means, and what you can do about it.
⚠ Important — please read this first. The guidance and templates in the FtP Navigator are general information for UK regulated professionals. They are not legal advice, and reading or using them does not create a solicitor–client relationship with Regulation Resolution Solicitors Ltd. Every case turns on its own facts and evidence, regulators change their rules and guidance, and a template used in the wrong situation can damage your case. You use this material entirely at your own risk: to the fullest extent permitted by law, Regulation Resolution Solicitors Ltd accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from reliance on it. If your case involves dishonesty, sexual misconduct, criminal proceedings, vulnerable patients or an interim order hearing — or if you are unsure about anything — take specialist legal advice before acting.
How to use this page. Read it at the stage your case has reached, and bookmark it now so you can come straight back when you need it — press Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac) on a computer, or tap the share icon → "Add bookmark" on your phone. Fitness to practise cases run for months; you will want this page again. Bookmark this hub page too — it is the map for the whole journey.
The FtP Navigator is a free knowledge hub that explains fitness to practise proceedings in plain English, stage by stage, across all seven main UK regulators — the NMC, GMC, GDC, HCPC, GPhC, Social Work England and GOC. Written by specialist regulatory defence solicitors, it helps you understand what is happening in your case, what happens next, and where to focus your energy.
What is the FtP Navigator for?
The Navigator exists to answer the question every referred professional asks: “what happens now?” Fitness to practise proceedings are frightening largely because they are unfamiliar — the letters are formal, the deadlines are short, and the process can run for months or years. This hub removes the mystery.
Each section of the Navigator covers one stage of the journey, in order: it explains the stage in plain English, answers the questions professionals actually search for, shows you the practical steps that help, and — where a working document saves you hours — provides an explainer and template for it. You can read the hub start to finish, or jump straight to the stage your case has reached.
Who is it for?
The Navigator is written for every UK regulated health and care professional — nurses, midwives and nursing associates (NMC), doctors (GMC), dentists and dental care professionals (GDC), paramedics, physiotherapists, psychologists and the other HCPC professions, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians (GPhC), social workers (Social Work England), and optometrists and dispensing opticians (GOC). It is equally useful for the insurers, indemnifiers, union representatives and employers who support them.
The process differs in names and details between regulators — screening at the NMC, Rule 4 at the GMC, triage at Social Work England — but the shape of the journey is the same. Each Navigator section covers the stage across all regulators, flagging the differences that matter.
What are the stages of fitness to practise proceedings?
Fitness to practise proceedings move through broadly the same stages at every regulator: referral and screening, investigation, a case examiner decision, possible interim orders, hearing preparation, the hearing itself, sanction — and afterwards, reviews, appeals and restoration. The Navigator has a section for each:
| # | Section | What it covers | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understanding fitness to practise | What FtP is, who can refer you, the journey map, your first 7 days | Live — read now |
| 2 | Screening: your first response | How screening works at each regulator; whether and how to respond | Live — read now |
| 3 | The investigation stage | What the regulator gathers, your rights, parallel processes | Live — read now |
| 4 | Responding to the case examiners | The realistic-prospect test; substantive vs holding responses | Live — read now |
| 5 | Interim orders | Will you be referred, the two-limb test, fighting an order | Live — read now |
| 6 | Analysing the evidence | Reading the bundle like a lawyer; hearsay and how to challenge it | Live — read now |
| 7 | Redactions | Removing unfair and prejudicial material from the bundle | Live — read now |
| 8 | Disclosure & equality of arms | Unused material and levelling the playing field | Live — read now |
| 9 | Case management | Directions, deadlines and using case management tactically | Live — read now |
| 10 | Preparing for your hearing | The countdown plan and building a bundle that helps you | Live — read now |
| 11 | Giving evidence | Examination-in-chief, cross-examination, how panels decide | Live — read now |
| 12 | Sanctions | The sanction ladder; how insight and mitigation move outcomes | Live — read now |
| 13 | Review hearings | Getting conditions or a suspension lifted | Live — read now |
| 14 | Appeals & restoration | The 28-day appeal window and the road back to the register | Live — read now |
We are publishing the Navigator section by section. Until a section goes live, you can find related guidance in our complete NMC fitness to practise guide, our guide to surviving an NMC, GDC, SWE or GPhC investigation and our interim orders hub.
Who writes the Navigator?
Every section is written and reviewed by the regulatory defence team at Regulation Resolution Solicitors — an SRA-authorised firm acting exclusively for regulated professionals, whose experience spans both prosecution and defence of fitness to practise proceedings. Content is updated as rules and guidance change, and each page shows a “last reviewed” date.
Is the FtP Navigator legal advice?
No — and this matters. The Navigator gives you general information and working knowledge; it cannot weigh the facts, evidence and risks of your individual case, and it is no substitute for advice from a specialist solicitor. Use it to understand the process, prepare better questions and avoid the common early mistakes. If your case involves dishonesty, sexual allegations, criminal proceedings, vulnerable patients, the media, or an interim order hearing — or a hearing date has landed — take specialist advice before you send anything to your regulator. Early advice consistently produces better outcomes than late rescue work.
While you’re here, you can also download our free Guide to Fitness to Practise Proceedings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FtP Navigator?
The FtP Navigator is a free online knowledge hub from Regulation Resolution Solicitors that explains UK fitness to practise proceedings stage by stage — from referral and screening through investigation, hearings, sanctions, reviews and appeals — across the NMC, GMC, GDC, HCPC, GPhC, Social Work England and GOC.
What are the stages of fitness to practise proceedings?
Broadly: referral and screening, investigation, the case examiner decision, interim orders where risk demands them, hearing preparation, the final hearing, sanction, and then reviews, appeals or restoration. Names differ between regulators, but the shape is the same — the Navigator has a section for each stage.
Which regulators does the Navigator cover?
All seven main UK health and care regulators: the Nursing and Midwifery Council, General Medical Council, General Dental Council, Health and Care Professions Council, General Pharmaceutical Council, Social Work England and the General Optical Council. Each section flags the differences between regulators that actually matter.
Is the FtP Navigator free?
Yes. The Navigator’s explainers are free to read and are being published section by section. Where a stage benefits from a working document — such as a response framework or hearing checklist — the section explains it and tells you how to get it. No paywall stands between you and understanding your case.
Where do I start if I’ve been referred to my regulator?
Start with section 1, Understanding fitness to practise, then jump to the stage your case has reached. If you have a deadline within 14 days, an interim order hearing, or an allegation involving dishonesty or sexual misconduct, don’t self-navigate — call a specialist fitness to practise solicitor first.
Need help with your fitness to practise case?
Speak to a specialist fitness to practise solicitor today. Call +44 (0)208 088 5161 for a fixed-fee quote — our lines are open 24/7 and your first 30-minute consultation is free. Or email [email protected] / book a free case assessment.
This page is general information, not legal advice. No liability is accepted for reliance on it. Rules and guidance change — always check the current position or take specialist advice.
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