Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
HCPTS suspends Karen M Dean for 12 months
The orthoptist possessed and used cocaine at a house party and supplied it to two other intoxicated adults.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 17 November 2023 · Updated 23 September 2026
Suspension (suspended from practice) — 1 year
Data last checked: 23 September 2026Report a correction
What does “suspended from practice” mean?
The regulator imposed a fixed-term suspension in this decision. Its start date, appeal provisions and any later review affect whether it is currently in force. Check the official register for the practitioner's current status.
Concerning Karen Dean, orthoptist (Health and Care Professions Council OR03702).
Decision date: 17 November 2023 · Hearing started 13 November 2023 and ended 17 November 2023
In plain English
The HCPTS panel suspended orthoptist Karen M Dean for 12 months after finding that she possessed and used cocaine at a house party and supplied it to two intoxicated adults while children were present. The panel found limited remediation, no demonstrated insight or remorse and a continuing risk of repetition. An interim suspension was also imposed.
Charges
Ms Dean possessed and inhaled cocaine at a house party and supplied it to two other intoxicated adults while children were present in the house.
Findings
The panel found all particulars proved and concluded that the illegal-drug possession, use and supply amounted to serious misconduct. It found inadequate insight and remediation, a risk of repetition, and impairment on personal and public-interest grounds. It imposed a 12-month suspension and an interim suspension for the appeal period.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
The Registrant had practised for many years and had no previous regulatory findings recorded against her.
Aggravating factors
The misconduct was considered remediable, but limited evidence that any remedial action had been taken was put before it, as this was confined to a single drug test result. The Panel did not have any updated information to take into account as to whether the Registrant had reflected and whether she had further developed any insight. This meant that a risk of repetition remained. The Panel considered that the Registrant appears to have been less than frank in her communication and there is evidence of potential harm to other members of the public. Further although the Allegation is drafted to reflect the video evidence on a single day, there is more than one instance of the Registrant supplying drugs, and this involved both Person A and B. Children were present in the house at this time and unsupervised. The Registrant has not expressed remorse.
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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