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the proceedings took place, or by such other evidence as may appear to the Council satisfactory, that the respondent has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanour or crime, or offence and has been sentenced to a term of imprison- ment, and such conviction has not been subsequently quashed on appeal, the Council may forthwith and without further enquiry remove the nurse from the Register and require her to surrender her certificate to the Council.
(5) (a) In any other case in which the Council are satisfied upon the report of the Disciplinary and Penal Cases Committee that a prima facie is made out for the removal of the respondent from the Register, the Council may direct the Solicitor to take all necessary steps for verifying the evidence to be submitted to the Council, and for obtaining the necessary documents and the attendance of witnesses.
(b) The Registrar shall send to the respondent a notice in writ- ing in the form set out in Schedule VII. to these Rules specifying the nature and particulars of the charge against her, and informing her of the time and place of the meeting at which the case will be heard, and requiring her to send or deliver to the Registrar her certificate and badge, if any, not later than the date on which the hearing takes place. Such notice shall be sent by registered post to the registered address of the respondent contained in the Register, or if the Registrar has reason to believe that that address is not her present address, then to any later address which may be known to the Registrar, and shall be posted so as to allow at least 21 days to elapse between the day on which the notice is posted and the date fixed for the hearing.
(c) The case shall be heard at a meeting of the Council, of which at least seven days' notice shall be sent by the Registrar to each member of the Council, and the respondent shall be entitled to be represented by a friend or by Counsel or Solicitor.
Provided that if she intends to be represented by Counsel or Solicitor not less than seven days' notice of such intention shall be given to the Registrar.
(d) At the hearing of the case, the Solicitor, Registrar, or other person appointed by the Council for the purpose shall first state to the Council the facts of the case and the charge alleged against the respondent, and shall then submit to the Council the evidence received in support of the charge, and the respondent or her representative shall be entitled
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to cross-examine any witness appearing against her on matters relevant to the charge.
(e) When the statement of the charge and the evidence in support thereof are concluded, the respondent and her representative shall be invited by the Chairman to address the Council and to tender evidence in answer to the charge, and the solicitor, Registrar, or other person appointed by the Council for the purpose, shall be entitled to cross- examine any witness tendered in answer to the charge, and to reply upon the whole case after the respondent or her representative has replied.
(f) If the respondent does not attend either personally or by representative, the Council may proceed to hear and determine the case in her absence.
(g) Upon the conclusion of the case the Council shall, after consideration of the relevant evidence, whether oral or documentary, pronounce its decision either forthwith or at a later date in writing, or at a subsequent meeting.
(h) (1) If the Council find the charges against the respondent to be proved either in whole or in part, they may remove her name from the Register altogether or for such period as they think fit.
(2) The Registrar shall forthwith communicate with the respondent by registered letter informing her of the decision of the Council.
(3) In the case of temporary removal of the respondent from the Register, the Registrar shall retain the certificate and badge, if any, and shall delete her name from the part or parts of the Register in which her name is included during the period of removal, and in the case of complete removal shall delete the respondent's name from the part or parts of the Register in which it is included and cancel her certificate and retain the cancelled certificate and badge, if any.
(6) In the event of the Council receiving a notification from the General Nursing Council for England and Wales or from the Joint Nursing and Midwives Council (Northern Ireland) that the name of any nurse registered by either or both of these Councils has been removed from the Register in England or Ireland by reason of a finding of such Council that such nurse has been guilty of misconduct, if the Registrar shall find that such nurse is also registered in any part of the Register, the Registrar shall inform the nurse in writing
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