Active Interim Orders

In cases where a Committee considers that allowing a registrant to continue practising in their current role would be a significant risk to the public, the Social Care Council may apply to a Preliminary Proceedings Committee for an Interim Conditions of Practice Order (ICPO) or Interim Suspension Order ISO). Preliminary Proceedings Committees are not held in public.  

If you have a query relating to an ISO, please contact the  Fitness to Practise Team in confidence: ftp@niscc.hscni.net

Interim Conditions of Practice Order (ICPO)

An Interim Conditions of Practice Order (ICPO) temporarily places conditions upon a Registrant’s registration while the investigation is taking place. A Registrant will be able to continue working while the ICPO is in place, however, there will be conditions on his / her practice. The type of conditions that could be imposed may be:

– to undertake specific training within a defined period and provide evidence of the successful completion of that training to the Social Care Council;
– to provide the Social Care Council with a monthly report signed by his / her employer confirming that he / she is complying with a relevant requirement , e.g. not undertaking a particular activity without supervision; adhering to employer policies and procedures.

An ICPO may be set for any length of time (but only up to six months initially), with set review periods during its term, and cannot be imposed for more than two years in total. The Committee may decide, based on the information from the Social Care Council and the Registrant, that the Registrant’s fitness to practise may be impaired and that it should therefore be referred to a Fitness to Practise Committee to make a final decision on the matter.

Interim Suspension Order (ISO)

If we consider that the information received shows that a Registrant may pose a risk to the public, colleagues, or service users, or that it is in the public interest, or in the interest of a Registrant, it can recommend that the Committee imposes an Interim Suspension Order (ISO). An ISO suspends a registered worker from the Register on a temporary basis while the case is being investigated. It means that:

– a Registrant will be unable to work in a role that requires Registration whilst the Order is in place.
– a Social Worker will be unable to work as or call himself / herself a registered social worker or work in a role which requires registration while the Order is active.
– a Social Care Manager or a Social Care Worker will not be able to work in a role which requires a registrant to be registered with the Social Care Council while the Order is active.
– a Social Work Student will be suspended from their course while the Order is active.

An ISO may be set for any length of time (but only up to six months initially), with set review periods during its term, and cannot be imposed for more than two years in total except in exceptional circumstances, for example, where a criminal conviction case is on-going.

All active Interim Suspension Orders and Interim Conditions of Practice Orders are published in this section of the website.