GOsC welcomes Law Commissions’ report and draft Bill

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) welcomes today’s publication of the Law Commissions’ report and draft Bill on the regulation of health and social care professionals.

The report sets out recommendations following a review of the UK law relating to the regulation of health care professionals. The proposed reforms in the draft Bill aim to introduce a new single legal framework, replacing the current often outdated legislation governing the regulators, including the GOsC. This new framework is necessary for the regulators to continue to be able to fulfil their duties to protect the public effectively.

Responding to today’s report and draft Bill, GOsC Chief Executive Tim Walker said:

“The legal reforms proposed by the Law Commissions represent an opportunity to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our regulatory processes for the benefit of patients and osteopaths. We look forward to Parliament enacting the legislation at the earliest opportunity.”

ENDS
For further information contact:
The GOsC Press Office
Tel: 020 7357 6655 x245
Email: pressoffice@osteopathy.org.uk

Notes to Editors

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) has a statutory duty to regulate the practice of osteopathy in the UK. Osteopaths must be registered with the GOsC in order to practise in the UK. We work with the public and the profession to promote patient safety by:

• registering qualified professionals
• setting, maintaining and developing standards of osteopathic practice and conduct
• assuring the quality of osteopathic education
• ensuring continuing professional development
• helping patients with concerns or complaints about an osteopath.

The statutory Register of osteopaths provides a geographical index of all practising osteopaths, and is available to the general public and to healthcare providers online at: www.osteopathy.org.uk/information/finding-an-osteopath 

The Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission are non-political independent bodies set up by Parliament in 1965 to keep all the law of England and Wales and of Scotland under review, and to recommend reform where it is needed. The Northern Ireland Law Commission exists to review areas of the law and to make recommendations for reform. It was established under the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (as amended by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010), and was set up in 2007 following the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Review Group.

Further details about the Law Commissions’ report and draft bill can be found at: www.lawcom.gov.uk (see the Regulation of Health Care Professionals project page) www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/law-reform-projects/completed-projects/regulation-of-health-care-professionals/
www.nilawcommission.gov.uk/