Paragraph 9 Hearing to be in private

Subject to paragraph (2), the hearing shall take place in private save for the parties or their representatives, the legal assessor, the medical assessors, the person making the allegation, any witnesses, any staff of the Council and any note-taker; but the Committee may if it thinks fit at any time exclude the person making the allegation if it considers that the evidence in question relates to matters properly to be treated as confidential between the respondent and a medical practitioner.

The Committee may, if satisfied that it would be appropriate that the hearing or any part of it should be held in public, hold the hearing or that part of it in public.

The Committee may deliberate together in the absence of any of the persons mentioned in paragraph (1) (including the parties and their representatives) and of the public at any time.

Paragraph (3) is without prejudice to Rule 3(2) of the General Chiropractic Council (Functions of Medical Assessors) Rules 2000^f1 in relation to the receiving of advice from the medical assessors, but has effect subject to Rule 3(2) and (3) of the General Chiropractic Council (Functions of Legal Assessors) Rules 2000^f2 where the Committee receives the advice of the legal assessor.