All of our Hearings are held in private and your role in a Hearing is essential. Your first-hand account of the issues that are being considered will help the Panel make its decision.
To support you, this guide will take you through a Hearing step-by-step so that you’ll know:
A member of CNHC staff will be your dedicated point of contact, so do please discuss any concerns you have as soon as possible. They will be able to answer any questions you have.
We know being a witness and giving evidence is an unfamiliar experience. It can be even harder if you have a disability, a medical condition, or are particularly concerned about being in the presence of the registrant against whom you have raised concerns.
Hearings are always held in central London locations with step-free access. If you need a carer to accompany you at the hearing, we will pay their costs.
If because of the distance you have to travel you will need hotel accommodation, we will pay the cost.
Subject to the agreement of the Panel, we will supply witness screens to shield you while you give evidence.
We will arrange for an interpreter to attend if you need to communicate in a language other than English.
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Please let us know at the earliest opportunity if you have any of the above needs.
You will have been asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start of the hearing. This is to allow time for a member of CNHC staff to:
Each panel consists of three members, one of whom is the Chair. The Chair will ensure the Hearing is conducted fairly. The Panel will have a Legal Adviser who will provide advice to them on any points of law but will not take part in decision making.
A barrister or solicitor will present the case against the registrant on behalf of CNHC. The registrant may be represented by a barrister or solicitor.
A member of CNHC staff will help with the administration of the hearing and a stenographer will record all the proceedings.
When you’re called to give evidence, a member of CNHC staff will take you from the private meeting room to the Hearing room and show you to the witness desk.
The Panel Chair will introduce themselves and the others involved in the Hearing.
There will be a microphone on the desk in front of you, which you should speak into.
It helps if you:
First, the legal representative for CNHC will ask you to confirm your name and if what you’ve said in your witness statement is true. They may ask questions about your statement. After this the legal representative for the registrant (or the registrant, if they are not legally represented) may ask you questions about your statement and the Panel members may have questions too.
While you’re giving evidence, you may be shown some documents. Some of these may be documents you haven’t seen before. You should take your time to read each document before answering any questions. Let us know if you are having difficulty locating a document you are referred to and a member of CNHC staff will help you.
The Hearing with adjourn (break) from time to time. This can be for comfort breaks or lunch, or at the end of each day if the Hearing lasts more than one day. It can also break if you feel you need a break from giving evidence. If that is the case, just let us know.
Please remember you mustn’t talk to anyone about the case or about your evidence during any of the breaks. This includes anyone involved with the case, as well as anyone who is accompanying you. If you do speak to others, it could have a serious effect on the outcome of the Hearing.
You are free to leave after you’ve given your evidence and a member of CNHC staff will escort you from the Hearing room. Or after you’ve left the Hearing Room and want to stay and watch the rest of the Hearing, let the member of CNHC staff know and they will show you where to sit.
Within seven days after the conclusion of the Hearing we will send you a copy of the Notice of Decision of the Panel.