CONTENT ENVIRONMENT
Jump to content
Fitness to practise cases: getting help and advice if concerns have been raised about you and you've been referred to us

We understand that being referred to us can be confusing and upsetting. We want to help make it easier for you to take part in the investigation.

Your case will be managed by a fitness to practise officer who understands what has happened and can talk to you about your case and answer your questions.

We’ll give you regular updates about our investigation, usually by email.

Contact your fitness to practise case officer (the email address and phone number will have been provided to you) if you need help to:

  • understand letters we send you
  • understand the process
  • respond to us.

Well-being assistance helpline

We have a free, independent and confidential well-being assistance helpline which can give you support while you go through the investigation. It’s run by Wellbeing Solutions and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Wellbeing Solutions can give you advice about finances and work, as well as assistance with your well-being and counselling support.

Phone: 0808 169 8691

To find out more about what support you can get, watch this video.

Other organisations who can offer you advice and support

Professional or legal advice

You may want to get professional or legal advice before you respond to us. You can do this by contacting:

  • your trade union, if you have one
  • a professional association for example, BASW (British Association of Social Workers);
  • you may consider using your own solicitor, but this can be expensive – other organisations listed may be able to help you for free.
  • Advocate: a charity which helps people find free legal help. You need to meet eligibility criteria to apply for this, and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau could help you check.

    Phone: 0207 092 3960 (Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10.15am to 12.45pm)
    Email: Enquiries@weareadvocate.org.uk
    Website: www.weareadvocate.org.uk
  • Citizens Advice Bureau: Citizens Advice give free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. They can give advice on benefits, work, debt and money, consumer rights, family and housing, law and the courts, immigration, and health.

    You can visit one of their 3,500 branches or contact:
    Phone (Wales): 03444 772 020
    Phone (England): 03444 111 444
    Text relay: 03444 111 445
    Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
    Web chat on www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Organisations that can help you with money or well-being

We can give you confidential support through our well-being support programme, but these organisations may also be able to help:

  • Citizens Advice Bureau: Citizens Advice give free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. They can give advice on benefits, work, debt and money, consumer rights, family and housing, law and the courts process, immigration, and health.

    You can visit one of their 3,500 branches or contact:
    Phone (Wales): 03444 772 020
    Phone (England): 03444 111 444
    Text relay: 03444 111 445
    Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
    Web chat on www.citizensadvice.org.uk
  • Dewis: information or advice about how to look after your well-being, or somebody else’s.

    Website: www.dewis.wales
  • Dan247: Dan 247 is a free and bilingual telephone drugs helpline for anyone in Wales who needs information or help about drugs or alcohol.

    Phone: 08088 082 234 (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
    Website: www.dan247.org.uk
    Text DAN to 81066
  • Harmless: Harmless gives help, information, training and consultancy about self-harm and suicide prevention. Available for people who self-harm, their friends and families and professionals and those at risk of suicide.

    Email: info@harmless.org.uk
    Website: www.harmless.org.uk
  • Live Fear Free Helpline: Live Fear Free gives confidential help and advice to:
  • anyone experiencing domestic abuse
  • anyone who knows someone who needs help.

    Phone: 08088 010 800 (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
    Text: 07860 077 333 (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
    Email: info@livefearfreehelpline.wales
    Live chat: gov.wales/live-fear-free (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
  • Mind: Mind gives advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Their legal line can give you information on mental health related law to the public, service users, family members/carers, mental health professionals and mental health advocates.

    For anything to do with mental health: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)
    Mind’s legal line: 0300 466 6463
    Info email: info@mind.org.uk
    Legal email: legal@mind.org.uk
    Website: www.mind.org.uk
  • Refuge: If you’re experiencing domestic violence, you’re not alone. Refuge is the national charity which helps women, children and men experiencing domestic violence and other violence and abuse.

    Freephone: 0808 2000 247 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
    Website: www.refuge.org.uk
  • Relate: a relationship support charity in England and Wales. They offer counselling, information, mediation and support to individuals, couples and families, working face-to-face, online and on the phone with people of all backgrounds and sexualities at all stages of life.

    Website: www.relate.org.uk
  • Samaritans: You can talk to Samaritans at any time about anything that's troubling you. Anything you tell them stays confidential. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen. Samaritans is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

    Freephone: 116 123
    Email: jo@samaritans.org (response within 24 hours)
    Website: www.samaritans.org
  • Shelter: Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through their advice, support, and legal services.

    Shelter Cymru
    Phone: 0333 5549 996
    Website: sheltercymru.org.uk

    Shelter England
    Phone: 0808 8004 444
    Website: england.shelter.org.uk
  • Stepchange: Stepchange offers free debt advice based on your situation. They give practical help and support for however long you need it.

    Website: www.stepchange.org
  • Turn2Us: a national charity to help people find benefits, grants and financial support online. It has a benefits calculator to find out what benefits, tax credits or other state support you’re entitled to. You can use the charity’s grants search to find money and goods from thousands of charitable funds.

    Website: www.turn2us.org.uk

First published: 11 October 2022
Last updated: 21 July 2023
Download this page as a PDF (39.4 KB)
This file might not be fully accessible