Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
HCPTS panel cautions Andrew Ayres for one year over soliciting offence
An HCPTS panel imposed a one-year caution on chiropodist and podiatrist Andrew Ayres after finding his police caution for soliciting sexual services impaired his fitness to practise.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 17 June 2025 · Updated 23 September 2026
Warning (formally warned)
Data last checked: 23 September 2026Report a correction
What does “formally warned” mean?
A formal warning is a note on the practitioner's record. It does not restrict practice but tells the public that the regulator considered the conduct to have fallen below expected standards.
Concerning Andrew Ayres, chiropodist / podiatrist (Health and Care Professions Council CH32592).
Decision date: 17 June 2025 · Hearing started 16 June 2025 and ended 17 June 2025
In plain English
The HCPTS panel found that chiropodist and podiatrist Andrew Ayres's police caution for soliciting sexual services impaired his fitness to practise on public-interest grounds. It found no personal impairment, accepting that he had shown full insight, extensive remediation and a very low risk of repetition. The panel imposed a one-year caution order.
Charges
Mr Ayres accepted a police conditional caution for soliciting another person to obtain sexual services as a prostitute in a street or public place, contrary to section 51A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. His fitness to practise was alleged to be impaired by reason of the caution.
Findings
The panel found the caution proved by admission and found current impairment on public-interest grounds because the sexually motivated criminal behaviour breached a fundamental professional tenet and brought the profession into disrepute. It found no personal impairment, accepting extensive remediation, full insight and remorse, and a very low risk of repetition.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
Full insight and remediation demonstrated, and regret and apology expressed; a sustained period spanning almost two years since the incident in which no further concerns have been raised as to the Registrant's behaviour; no regulatory history; it was an isolated incident and it was out of character.
Aggravating factors
The Registrant's sexually motivated, criminal behaviour, towards a prostitute, a vulnerable person.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Health and Care Professions Council determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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