BISMA Malpractice and Maladministration Policy
1. Introduction
British International Sports Medicine Academy (BISMA) is committed to maintaining the integrity, credibility, and validity of all assessment, internal quality assurance, and certification processes.
This policy sets out BISMA’s approach to preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and managing malpractice and maladministration in accordance with regulatory and awarding-body requirements.
This policy forms part of BISMA’s quality assurance framework and applies alongside BISMA’s Learner Code of Conduct and associated policies.
2. Purpose and Aims
This policy aims to protect the integrity and credibility of qualifications delivered by BISMA, ensure compliance with awarding-body and regulatory requirements, promote fair, consistent, and transparent assessment practices, provide clear guidance on reporting and managing concerns, and prevent malpractice and maladministration wherever possible.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all individuals involved in BISMA activities, including learners, tutors, assessors, internal quality assurers (IQAs), administrative staff, contractors, and associates.
It applies to all qualifications, assessments, quality assurance activities, and awarding organisations associated with BISMA.
4. Definitions
Malpractice refers to any deliberate act or practice that breaches awarding-body regulations or compromises the integrity, validity, or security of assessment, quality assurance, or certification.
Maladministration refers to unintentional errors, omissions, negligence, or poor administrative practice that results in non-compliance with awarding-body or regulatory requirements.
5. Examples of Malpractice
Examples of malpractice may include, but are not limited to plagiarism, collusion, impersonation, or fabrication of evidence, falsifying assessment, IQA, or certification records, tampering with assessment materials or outcomes, providing inappropriate assistance during assessment, misuse or misrepresentation of reasonable adjustments or special consideration, and misrepresentation of centre approval status or misuse of awarding-body or regulatory logos.
6. Examples of Maladministration
Examples of maladministration may include, but are not limited to incorrect learner registration or certification claims, persistent administrative or procedural errors, poor or incomplete record keeping, and failure to follow approved assessment, IQA, or certification procedures.
7. Reporting Malpractice or Maladministration
All suspected or actual cases of malpractice or maladministration must be reported promptly to BISMA management or the designated quality assurance lead.
Reports may be made by learners, staff, or third parties and should include, where available, details of the individuals involved, the qualification or assessment concerned, a description of the issue, relevant dates, and any supporting evidence.
BISMA encourages reporting in good faith. Individuals who raise genuine concerns will not be disadvantaged or subjected to retaliation as a result of doing so.
Where required, BISMA will report cases to the relevant awarding organisation or regulatory body in line with their published requirements.
8. Investigation Process
BISMA will investigate all concerns fairly, proportionately, and objectively.
Investigations may include review of documentation, assessment evidence, recordings, interviews with relevant individuals, and liaison with awarding organisations where required.
Individuals subject to investigation will normally be informed of the allegation and given an opportunity to respond, unless doing so would compromise the integrity of the investigation or regulatory requirements.
All investigations and findings will be documented securely.
9. Outcomes and Actions
Following investigation, BISMA may take one or more of the following actions, as appropriate: implement corrective or preventative actions, require reassessment, additional quality assurance, or procedural changes, or apply disciplinary or remedial action under the relevant BISMA policy.
Where learners are involved, sanctions will be managed under the BISMA Learner Sanctions, Disciplinary & Exclusion Policy. Where staff or contractors are involved, action will be taken under relevant employment or contractual arrangements.
Where applicable, outcomes and actions will be reported to awarding organisations, and BISMA will comply with any directions, sanctions, or outcomes imposed by them. Awarding-body decisions are final where applicable.
10. Relationship to Other Policies
This policy operates alongside, but is separate from, the Learner Appeals Policy, which applies only to assessment decisions, and the Learner Complaints Policy, which applies to service or process concerns.
Malpractice and maladministration matters are not assessment appeals and are not managed through the complaints process.
11. Records and Confidentiality
All records relating to malpractice and maladministration will be retained securely in accordance with BISMA’s data-protection and retention requirements.
Information will be handled confidentially and shared only where necessary for investigation, regulatory compliance, or quality assurance purposes.
Records will be made available to awarding organisations or regulators during external quality assurance activity where required.
12. Monitoring and Review
Cases of malpractice and maladministration are monitored to identify trends, risks, or areas for improvement.
This policy is reviewed annually or sooner where required due to regulatory, awarding-body, or organisational changes.
