The General Osteopathic Council is committed to ensuring that all our activities, as a regulator, an employer and a service provider, provide equality of opportunity in relation to race, gender and disability.
In order to comply with anti-discrimination legislation, and to ensure that all our policies promote equality and diversity, we have produced an Equality Scheme, supported by an Action Plan, which have been widely consulted upon.
We are always working to revise and improve our Equality Scheme and we do this in a number of ways.
Your comments on our scheme and Action Plan are always welcome. You can use the email form on the Contact Us page or email e&d@osteopathy.org.uk.
In late 2009 we looked at the experiences of osteopaths, students of osteopathy and patients of osteopaths, who have a disability.
Discussion groups were held on Tuesday 3 November, one for osteopaths and students of osteopathy and another for osteopaths’ patients. The discussion focused on:
Issues raised by osteopaths and students of osteopathy included communication difficulties with the GOsC and the disparity between the osteopathic educational institutions in terms of resources and facilities for disabled students.
Discussions in the patient group mainly focused on the accessibility of osteopathy from a practical point of view and suggestions included the use of symbols on websites to indicate onsite parking and wheelchair access, and the introduction of alternative methods for booking appointments, such as text or email.
The results will feed into the ongoing development and improvement of our Equality Scheme.
