SCIE Practice guide 7: Making referrals to the POVA list

What happens after referral? - Introduction

Practice points in this section:

• What happens when referrals are received?
• Removing people from the confirmed list
• Care Standards Tribunal

Expectations

Officials process the information, making a provisional listing where appropriate, and consider whether the individual should also be placed on the POCA (Protection of Children Act) list.

They will inform the referred individual of the provisional listing, requesting more information from both sides as required. When all the available evidence is compiled, a recommendation about whether to list or not is made to the Secretary of State for Health.

Individuals confirmed on the POVA list have the right of appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal.

Practice overview

The processing of referrals often involves further collection of information and comment on it.

The POVA team will make contact with the referring organisation and the referred individual throughout the process. Both sides will be given copies of all information and comments made.

The decision-making process may take time, and employers may be asked for further information and to comment on the referred individual's observations.

Employers and witnesses should be prepared to support their referrals when appeals are made to the Care Standards Tribunal.