What should I bring with me to the hearing?

Once you arrive, someone will come to see you and discuss how the day will work in more detail. Ideally, you will also be shown the hearing room so you can familiarise yourself with it before you give evidence. You may also be introduced to the barrister for the RCVS so you can meet them prior to giving evidence.

You cannot sit in the hearing room and listen to other witnesses before giving your evidence, as this may prejudice the case. There will be a separate room for witnesses who are giving evidence where you can wait. There may also be other witnesses for the College in the room, so we ask that you do not discuss your evidence with anyone before or after you have given it until the DC has announced its decision.

As with any legal proceedings, it is possible that there will be delays so this is why we recommend bringing a book or other activity to keep you occupied whilst you are waiting.

It is likely that the veterinary professional will be present at the hearing. You should only encounter them in a relatively formal setting (i.e. inside the hearing), not whilst you are waiting or preparing to give evidence. If you feel at all uncomfortable about these arrangements, either before attending the hearing, or on the day, please let us know.

Attendees are split into four broad groups. The first is the Committee itself, and the people directly assisting it. For veterinary surgeon hearings, this includes 5 to 7 members who are a mix of veterinary surgeons and lay members. For Veterinary Nurse hearings, there are three members comprised of a lay person, a Registered Veterinary Nurse and a veterinary surgeon, . There will also be the Legal Assessor whose job it is to advise the DC on the relevant law. There will also be one or two DC Clerks in attendance, as well as a shorthand notetaker.

The second group is the RCVS which includes the RCVS solicitor who has been liaising with you and the external barrister who is presenting the case. There may also be other witnesses (including an expert witness).

The third group is the Respondent’s team. This includes the veterinary professional as well as any representation they have (for example a barrister, solicitor and/or someone from their professional indemnity insurers). It may also include any witnesses or experts they intend to call.

The final group is the public. DC hearings are generally open to the public, but it is quite rare that members of the public attend if they have no interest in or connection to the case. It is often those with an interest in the hearing (e.g. family members or friends). The press can also attend the hearing if they wish to.

One of the DC Clerks will come collect you when you have been called to give your evidence. You will enter the room and be directed to the witness chair. The first thing that will happen is that everyone will be introduced to you. You will then be asked whether you wish to swear an oath on a religious text or take a non-religious affirmation (it does not matter which one you choose). You will then be asked to repeat the words of the oath or affirmation after the Legal Assessor.

Once you have taken your oath/affirmation, the RCVS barrister will address you. You will usually be asked to confirm your name and that the document in front of you is your witness statement. You will then be asked if you have had the opportunity to read your statement recently and whether there are any changes to be made (e.g. name or job role changes). This is why we ask that you let us know about any possible changes in advance. Finally, you will be asked to confirm whether the statement is true to the best of your knowledge and belief. That then concludes your evidence for the RCVS. This is because your written witness statement (and any oral evidence) is your primary evidence, and everyone involved in the hearing will already be familiar with it.

Assuming the veterinary professional is in attendance, their barrister (or the veterinary professional themselves if they are not legally represented) may then ask you questions about your statement or the incident(s) in question. We cannot predict what questions you will be asked (or how many) but it could be about anything that is relevant to the case. The questioning is controlled by the RCVS barrister, the legal assessor and/or the Chair of the DC who may intervene if they think a line of questioning is inappropriate.

There may also be questions from the DC itself. Again, we cannot predict what questions (or how many) will be asked. Sometimes there will be a short break whilst the DC consider what questions to ask and they may even leave the hearing room to discuss in more detail. During this break you will not be able to talk to anyone as you are still giving evidence.

It is perfectly acceptable to ask for the question to be repeated or rephrased or to say you do not understand. Equally, it is also acceptable to say you can’t answer the question (e.g. because it is outside of your knowledge or involves speculation). Everyone involved in the hearing knows that most witnesses have likely never given evidence before, so will try their best to ask clear and concise questions and be as understanding as possible.

Once you have finished giving your evidence, you will be released as a witness and are free to go about your day. If you want to, you can watch the rest of the hearing. However, as mentioned above, we ask that you do not speak to anyone about your evidence until the DC has announced its final decision regarding the whole case.