Consultation on CET exceptions policy

Today we’ve launched a consultation which seeks views on an updated Continuing Education and Training (CET) exceptional circumstances policy, which we are renaming our CET exceptions policy.

What is the CET exceptions policy?

We introduced this policy in 2015 to provide guidance on what might constitute an exceptional circumstance that is unforeseen or over and above the course of everyday experience, which may have resulted in a registrant being unable to meet their CET requirements.

The Registrar has discretion to decide whether to remove or refuse to retain a registrant, or to decide not to do so. The policy identifies the circumstances in which the discretion of the Registrar may be exercised which balances fairness for registrants with the need for public protection.

Updates

We have made some updates to the policy which we think will be fairer for registrants by increasing transparency about the decision-making process and will also better protect the public by more clearly setting out our focus on achieving this. These updates include:

• shifting the focus from the exceptionality of the circumstances of the registrant to emphasise public protection;
• increased transparency in the decision-making process;
• expectations around maternity, paternity and adoption leave; and
• removing the restriction that only those registrants whose exceptional circumstances had resulted in them being unable to practise could be considered under the policy.

Consultation details

We are interested in your views on these amendments before we finalise the updated policy ahead of the end of the 2019-21 CET cycle.

To have your say, visit the GOC Consultation Hub. The consultation will close on Thursday 8 July 2021.