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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions >> Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals, R (on the application of) v General Medical Council & Anor [2005] EWHC 2973 (Admin) (08 December 2005) URL: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2005/2973.html Cite as: [2005] EWHC 2973 (Admin) |
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QUEEN'S BENCH DIVISION
THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT
Strand London WC2 |
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B e f o r e :
____________________
THE QUEEN ON THE APPLICATION OF COUNCIL FOR THE REGULATION OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS |
(APPELLANT) | |
| -v- | ||
(1) GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL | (FIRST RESPONDENT) | |
| AND | ||
(2) DR MAHESH RAJESHWAR | (SECOND RESPONDENT) |
____________________
Smith Bernal Wordwave Limited
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(Official Shorthand Writers to the Court)
MR R ENGLEHART QC (instructed by Field Fisher) appeared on behalf of the FIRST RESPONDENT
MR K COONAN QC AND MS C LAMBERT (instructed by Radcliffes Le Brasseur) appeared on behalf of the SECOND RESPONDENT
____________________
Crown Copyright ©
Thursday, 8th December 2005
medically
justified, were inappropriately carried out, and were inadequately recorded. The charge did not allege that the second respondent's conduct was sexually motivated and/or indecent. Counsel for the first respondent told the Panel that no improper motivation was being suggested. In summary what was being alleged was incompetent and/or inappropriate behaviour but not indecency.
"... has been unduly lenient, whether as to any finding of professional misconduct or fitness to practise on the part of the practitioner concerned (or lack of such a finding), or as to any penalty imposed, or both...
...
And that it would be desirable for the protection of members of the public for theCouncil
to take action under this section, the
Council
may refer the case to the relevant court."
What is the consequence of this procedural failure?
Council
for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals v General
Medical
Council
and Ruscillo and Anr [2005] 1 WLR 717 [2004] EWCA Civ 1356. The facts of that case are not relevant for present purposes. The Court of Appeal considered the criteria to be considered on appeal beginning at paragraph 56 of the judgment of the court. Paragraphs 56 and 57 of the judgment set out the rival contentions; that is to say, that the High Court, on an appeal under section 29, was under an obligation to dismiss an appeal unless persuaded (i) that the decision under review was unduly lenient, and (ii) that it was desirable to interfere with a decision for the protection of members of the public; and, alternatively, that it was open to the High Court to make whatever order that it considered appropriate.
"It may be that the court will find that there has been a serious procedural or other irregularity in the proceedings before the disciplinary tribunal. In those circumstances it may be unable to decide whether the decision as to penalty was appropriate or not. In such circumstances the court can allow the appeal and remit the case to the disciplinary tribunal with directions as to how to proceed, pursuant to CPR r 52.11(3)(b) and section 29(8)(d) of the Act."
Council
on 6th July; the skeleton argument was served on 12th July; there had been a meeting on 28th June in which the GMC indicated that it would support the
Council's
appeal.
Council,
through its solicitors, made offers on 19th July to both those instructing the first respondent and the second respondent that the GMC should pay all the costs including and up to 21 days after the date of service of our skeleton argument. My Lord, the reasoning behind that was to give the doctor, in particular, time to consider what the
Council
was saying. 21 days, we thought, was sufficient, and if the doctor agreed that the matter should be remitted then the primary cause of what happened here was the GMC's failure and it is right that the GMC should pay all the costs. But thereafter we thought that the doctor should be on risk as to costs.
Council
acted quickly. I think under the Rules it is 14 days after the notice of appeal and we were one day early, if my memory is correct. So, my Lord, it cannot be said that the
Council
delayed in any way. At the moment when your Lordship decides that it is no longer right that the GMC should pay, I would respectfully submit that the doctor has to pay, so that there is not any gap. But 21 days after 19th July is reasonable in my respectful submission.
Rajeshwar's
conduct was indecent or sexually motivated. It concludes:
"In the light of the agreement made between our respective clients, we seek confirmation that our client's liability for CHRE's costs will cease as of 28 June 2005."
"Our client offers that your client's liability for payment of our client's costs should cease as of 21 days from the date of service of our client's skeleton argument but should include [and then there is important words in the brackets] (in the event that the parties agree settlement of the appeal subject to the court's approval and directions) the costs of and occasioned by disposal (including the costs of the disposal hearing if necessary)..."
Council
seeking an explanation -- they have given, in effect, to use my learned friend's expression, "hands up", as it were -- of the order of the day in relation to the
Council
by the General
Medical
Council.
We independently sought to obtain details of this apparently simple "hands up".
Council, there was set out in detail why there was an error and why the appeal would not be opposed. That was only, as I say on 4th November, in a skeleton argument.