Rule 8

Without prejudice to rule 7, after referral of a case and after reviewing the evidence assembled by the referring committee and any material submitted by the osteopath concerned, the Committee, in any case where it considers it appropriate to do so, shall—

(a)

invite the osteopath to indicate whether he accepts the facts set out in the complaint and, if so, whether he accepts that those facts amount to either unacceptable professional conduct or professional incompetence or that he has been convicted of the criminal offence or offences referred to in the complaint as the case may be;

(b)

indicate to him that in that event the Committee would be minded to conclude that the complaint should be dealt with by way of an admonishment without any need for a hearing unless the osteopath otherwise requests; and

(c)

advise the osteopath that if he does not accept the facts set out in the complaint, or he accepts some or all of these facts but denies that the facts which are so accepted amount to either unacceptable professional conduct or professional incompetence, he has the right (in accordance with rule 7(b)(i)) to appear before the Committee to argue his case and to be legally represented at such a hearing.