GOsC signs up to Emerging Concerns Protocol

The purpose of the protocol is to provide a clearly defined mechanism for organisations which have a role in the quality and safety of care provision, to share information that may indicate risks to people who use services, their carers, families or professionals.

The Emerging Concerns Protocol is a system which enables professional regulators, system regulators and other partners to share information with each other in a timely fashion. This would include information that might undermine or harm the reputation of the professions or the regulators and their registrants, and particularly information that caused ongoing concern but may not be shared under existing arrangements.

Matthew Redford, GOsC Chief Executive and Registrar, said: ‘We welcome the opportunity to become a joint signatory to the Emerging Concerns Protocol, which demonstrates recognition of osteopaths as an important part of the wider healthcare system.

‘We were pleased to work with our colleague health professional and systems regulators to ensure that the protocol was broadened to educational as well as health settings, to maintain public protection, and we look forward to continuing to work with our regulatory partners to ensure public protection is maintained’.

No piece of information is too small to invoke the protocol and might include, but is not limited to:

• situations that may not be seen as an emergency, but which may indicate future risks
• cultural issues within health and social care settings (including educational environments) that would not necessarily be raised through alternative formal systems

This 2021 version of the protocol includes a number of updates since the original July 2018 protocol was issued, most notably the inclusion of educational environments in the scope of the settings. A short section has also been added referring to concerns that cross the borders of the devolved nations.

Read the Emerging Concerns Protocol