PSA to appeal GOC Honey Rose decision

PSA to appeal GOC Honey Rose decision

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has filed an appeal against the GOC Fitness to Practise Committee’s decision to suspend Ms Honey Rose for a period of nine months.

The PSA said it was concerned “that the decision was not sufficient to protect the public” and that it had now referred the matter to the High Court. The PSA has asked “members of the press and public to respect the privacy of Ms Rose and the family of Patient A whilst these proceedings are ongoing”.

The Authority has filed an appeal against the decision of the Fitness to Practise Committee of the General Optical Council (‘the Committee’) to suspend Ms Honey Rose for a period of nine months, having found her, in summary, guilty of failing to carry out adequate eye examinations in respect of two children, Patients A and B, and dishonestly making an inaccurate and misleading record in relation to her examination of Patient A. The Committee decided not to order a review of the Registrant before the end of the period of suspension.

The Authority has referred the matter to the High Court due to its concern that the decision was not sufficient to protect the public. Specifically, the Authority is of the view that the General Optical Council failed to properly charge Ms Rose with certain allegations, the Committee took the wrong approach to impairment and sanction, and the Committee wrongly decided not to require a review before the conclusion of the period of suspension. Accordingly, the Authority is asking the Court to quash the findings made by the Committee in relation to misconduct, impairment and sanction, and remit the case back to the Committee for reconsideration. Information about the Authority’s power to appeal decisions made by regulatory bodies can be found on our website.

The Authority asks members of the press and public to respect the privacy of Ms Rose and the family of Patient A whilst these proceedings are ongoing. In accordance with its usual practice, the Authority will not be providing any further comment on the proceedings during this time.

GOC Response to appeal

We are aware that the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has referred the case of the GOC against Honey Rose, as considered by our independent Fitness to Practise Committee (FtPC), to the High Court, under its powers under the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002. We cannot comment on ongoing cases and we will cooperate fully with the PSA during this process.