If you are studying on a professionally regulated or placement-based course, you may be worried that telling the University about substance use will automatically lead to Fitness to Practise proceedings.
It should not.
Substance use by itself does not automatically mean that a student is unfit to practise.
Where professional responsibilities are relevant, the University may need to consider questions such as:
- Is there an actual impact on safe placement activity?
- Could patients, pupils, service users or the public be placed at risk?
- Is the student attending placement while impaired?
- Is there a specific professional disclosure requirement?
- Does the student understand the concerns?
- Are they engaging with appropriate support?
- Are agreed risk-reduction measures being followed?
Sometimes the appropriate response may be a Fit to Train / placement-readiness review, rather than Fitness to Practise.
Fitness to Practise would require separate consideration of the actual conduct, professional risk and relevant professional standards.