Can my appeal be postponed?

It takes a significant amount of planning in order to confirm an appeal panel, due to the number and mix of panel member roles. If the trainee cannot attend the proposed date, the trainee should inform the Healthcare Education Team as soon as possible.

The trainee may apply for a postponement of proceedings. They should set out their reasons for requesting the postponement in writing to the Chair of the panel.

The appeal panel Chair may postpone a hearing:

• If appropriate documentation has not been circulated to the panel and / or trainee within the stated timescales
• to consider additional evidence not previously made available to the panel
• to request additional evidence / material crucial to the grounds for the trainee’s appeal
• Where a postponement is justified, the panel Chair will write to the trainee to explain the reasons and confirm an alternative date will be arranged allowing time for the panel and trainee to consider any additional evidence in detail.
• Where a trainee or their representative are unavailable to attend, the appeal hearing will only be rearranged on one further occasion.
• If the trainee or their representative is not able to attend the re-arranged appeal hearing, it will proceed in their absence. The trainee will be entitled to make representations in writing for the appeal panel to consider in their absence.
• Where a trainee confirms their attendance and fails to attend, reasonable efforts will be made to contact the trainee to ascertain the reasons.  The panel Chair will determine whether the hearing should proceed in the trainee’s absence, relying on the written evidence submitted.