Informing Relevant Bodies of Complaints Outcomes
Version 2.0 | Effective 3 August 2026
A lawful, necessary and proportionate process for sharing disciplinary and complaints outcomes.
Purpose
This policy governs decisions to inform another organisation or authority about a complaint, investigation, interim restriction or disciplinary outcome involving an Association member. It does not create an automatic duty to notify every possible body. Each disclosure requires a documented assessment of purpose, relevance, necessity, accuracy, proportionality, lawful basis and foreseeable risk.
Who might be relevant?
Depending on the facts and jurisdiction, a relevant body may include a statutory regulator, law-enforcement agency, safeguarding authority, employer or contracting organisation, insurer, another professional membership body, an approved trainer, the British Board for IEMT, a court, coroner or another body with a legitimate public-protection, certification or legal function.
The Association will not notify an organisation merely because it exists, because a complainant requests it, or because that organisation appears in a generic list. Its jurisdiction, relationship to the member and need for the information must be verified.
When notification may occur
- Disclosure is required by law, court order or a valid statutory request.
- There is an immediate or serious safeguarding or public-safety need.
- A substantiated outcome materially concerns the recipient's regulatory, employment, insurance, contracting or certification responsibilities.
- The member has given valid consent to a defined disclosure.
- Accurate information is necessary to correct a materially misleading claim about membership, approval, certification or directory status.
Consent is not the only possible lawful basis, but membership terms do not amount to unlimited consent. Special-category and criminal-offence information require additional legal conditions and safeguards.
Timing
Ordinarily, an outcome will not be externally reported as final until the appeal period has expired or an appeal has concluded. Earlier disclosure may be necessary where there is a legal duty, urgent safeguarding concern, serious continuing risk or a recipient needs accurate interim information to protect people. Any interim status must be described as interim and must not imply a finding that has not been made.
Decision and minimum necessary disclosure
- Confirm the recipient's identity, jurisdiction and secure contact route.
- Define the specific protective, legal or administrative purpose.
- Identify and document the lawful basis and any additional condition required.
- Consider whether the purpose can be achieved without identifying the person or by sharing less information.
- Verify that the outcome is current, accurate and clearly distinguished from allegation or interim action.
- Share only the information the recipient reasonably needs, using a secure method.
- Record what was shared, with whom, when, why and by whose authority.
Notice to the member
Where lawful and safe, the Association will tell the member what it intends to disclose, the recipient, purpose and basis, and will provide the substance of the information. Notice may be delayed or withheld where it would create a safeguarding risk, prejudice a lawful investigation, breach another person's rights, contravene a legal restriction or defeat the purpose of an urgent protective disclosure. The reason must be recorded.
Complaints, corrections and review
A person may challenge factual accuracy, the handling of their personal information or whether this process was followed. A challenge does not automatically suspend a lawful protective disclosure. Material corrections or changes to an outcome will be communicated promptly to recipients where necessary. Data-protection complaints follow the Data Protection and Online Privacy Policy.
Public statements and the directory
Updating the voluntary register to reflect current membership, suspension or removal is distinct from sending a detailed outcome to another body. Public statements will be exceptional, accurate and limited to what is necessary for public protection or correction of a misleading public claim. The Association will not publish confidential evidence, health information or unnecessary personal detail.