Elections 2006

DECISION TO RERUN THE ELECTION FOR THE PHYSIOTHERAPY PART OF THE REGISTER

Following the conclusion of the 2006 elections for a Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Radiography member to the Health Professions Council, the Council was informed that a number of duplicate ballot papers were sent to electors and that as a result of this Electoral Reform Services (the Independent Scrutineer) could not guarantee that the results of the election to the radiography and physiotherapy part of the register were safe.

The Electoral Reform Services’s (ERS) assessment was that, in relation to the election for the radiography part of the register, there were an estimated 619 ballot packs unaccounted for, but that most of those would have been delivered to old addresses and, therefore, the registrants concerned would not have actually received the duplicate pack. On the basis that the turnout for this election was 12.8%, ERS’s view was that even if all 619 had been received by registrants, then at most 80 duplicate ballots could have been cast. The winning candidate won with a margin of 102 votes. It is to be stressed that this is a hypothesis and that there is no evidence to suggest that duplicate ballots were cast.

ERS’s assessment is that, in relation to the election for the physiotherapy part of the register, there were an estimated 1,200 ballot packs unaccounted for, but that most of those would have been delivered to old addresses and, therefore, that the registrants concerned would not have actually received the duplicate pack. On the basis that the turnout for this election was 13.9%, ERS’s view is that even if all 1,200 had been received by registrants, then at most 167 duplicate ballots could have been cast. It is to be stressed that this is a hypothesis and that there is no evidence to suggest that duplicate ballots were cast.

In my capacity as returning officer I wrote to all candidates in both constituencies to inform them what had occurred and that under the Health Professions Council (Election Scheme) Rules 2004 they had a right to protest against the outcome of the election. A protest must be received in writing and must be signed by not less than twenty-five electors from the same part of the register.

A protest was received against the outcome of the election for the physiotherapy part of the register. This protest was considered by the Council at its meeting on 6 July 2006. In the interests of transparency the Council took the decision to declare the result of this election invalid and to re-run the election. The election procedure will follow the attached timetable.

No protest was received against the outcome of the election for the radiography part of the register and therefore the result of this election stands.

Marc Seale
Returning Officer

RETURNING OFFICER
At its meeting on 6 December 2005 the Health Professions Council agreed that Mr Marc Seale, Chief Executive and Registrar at the Health Professions Council, should be appointed as Returning Officer as of 9 January 2006 until the close of the 2006 election process.

If you have any queries regarding the election process please consult the elections frequently asked questions and also the Health Professions Council (Election Scheme) Rules 2004 .

If you do not find the information you require you should email elections@hpc-uk.org.