Mental health support to deal with fitness to practise

We understand the negative impact that facing fitness to practise proceedings can have on your mental health and wellbeing. Our counsellors are specially trained and experienced in supporting healthcare professionals throughout the FTP process, from the initial referral, right the way through to a panel hearing.

We specifically help clients who are regulated by NMC, HCPC, GDC, GPhC, GOC, GOsC, GCC. If your regulator is not listed then we may still be able to support you.

We’re a not-for-profit and charge £60 per hour. We use a solution-focused model which helps you to cope with the stress and uncertainty of the FTP process, whilst also taking an holistic approach, working with you as an individual to consider all of the areas of your life that are affected by your FTP case.

Call us on 020 3151 3015 for a free confidential discussion or scroll down to find out more about how we work.

Immediate access to low cost counselling

We charge £60 per hour for counselling related to fitness to practise cases, without any waiting lists. We also offer free counselling for clients who instruct us for legal advice and representation.

How to deal with fitness to practise

Facing fitness to practise proceedings is likely to be one of the most stressful experiences in your professional life. Not knowing whether you might eventually be struck off, have interim restrictions on your practice, struggle to find work and pay the bills, all inevitably means that it will have an impact on your personal life and relationships too. There is also the stigma and shame that are often associated with being investigated and having your professionalism called into question. Talking to a professional can help.

Our counsellors have an in-depth understanding of the legal processes involved at each stage of your fitness to practise case, so you can talk to someone who not only understands the technical side of FTP, but who supports you and helps you to develop coping skills and build resilience so that you can face whatever lies ahead.

No waiting lists

When you are already experiencing anxiety and uncertainty because of the FTP process itself, the last thing you need is to be waiting to see a mental health professional. Our counsellors will normally be able to see you within 48 hours of you contacting us and you do not need a referral from your GP.

Legal advice

Our counsellors do not provide legal advice, however, Sequentus was originally established to provide low-cost legal representation for healthcare professionals. And that is exactly what we do. You can either contact our legal team, or ask your counsellor to refer you to one of our specialist FTP lawyers.

About us

We are a not-for-profit organisation established in 2022 to provide affordable legal assistance through a dedicated team of qualified lawyers and trainee lawyers who specialise in healthcare regulation. Our work is part-funded by innovative partnerships with leading UK universities.

As a team mental health has always been important to us, so in 2024 we decided to expand the scope of our services to include counselling for healthcare professionals facing FTP proceedings. Our mental health programme offers standalone access to specialist counselling. We are also pioneering a new multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach, with lawyers and mental health professionals working together to support any client who needs an holistic approach.

Our fees are kept as low as possible so that we can help as many people as possible and that financial constraints do not need to compromise an individual’s ability to access the legal and mental health support that they need. All of our work is covered by professional indemnity insurance.

Next steps

Rafael Dupré

Consultant Psychotherapist – MBACP
Mental Health Lead
raf@sequentus.org

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Alternatively you can call us on 020 3151 3015 or scroll down to book a free appointment online.

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"Thank you so much for all your help - there is no way that I could have prepared all the documents and presented the case that way you did."

"Your advice and the way the case was prepared gave me hope again."

"I really appreciated you taking the time at the end of each day of the hearing to talk to me and explain everything and let me know what to expect next."

"This process has taken a huge toll on my mental health. Knowing that I have support and can discuss the things that are worrying me is invaluable. Thank you."

"I am so glad that you could represent me - even though I only found out about your service one week before my hearing, it has made a massive difference. Before that I did not know what to do."

We’re registered in England under number 14201467 as a company limited by guarantee and not-for-profit.

We do not undertake reserved legal work as set out in s.12 Legal Services Act 2007.