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London osteopath removed from the GOsC Register

17 February 2017

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), the UK regulator for osteopaths, has removed Habib Chharawala of the Bruggemeyer’s Osteopathic Practice in Herne Hill, from its Register.

Following a hearing on 19 January 2017, a GOsC Professional Conduct Committee found Mr Chharawala guilty of unacceptable professional conduct. This finding followed an earlier decision on 9 December 2016 to extend a Conditions of Practice Order initially imposed on Mr Chharawala in July 2016 in order to protect patients.

At the July 2016 hearing, the Professional Conduct Committee had found Mr Chharawala’s acts fell below the standards required of a registered osteopath, due to his failure to inform Patient A of the known risks of treatment, his serious failure to obtain her consent and inadequate note-taking. In July 2016 a Conditions of Practice Order was considered an appropriate sanction as there were areas of Mr Chharawala’s practice that were an ongoing concern, however he had shown sufficient appreciation of the shortcomings in his practice.

Following this decision, a letter written by Mr Chharawala dated 2 September 2016 was received by the General Osteopathic Council with words constituting foul language.

At its hearing in December 2016, the Committee found no evidence that Mr Chharawala was complying with the conditions imposed on his practice, or that he had made any attempt to address the recommendations made by the Committee at the hearing in July 2016. The Conditions of Practice Order was extended on 9 December 2016 and was varied to include a condition that Mr Chharawala should inform his patients that his practice as an osteopath was subject to conditions. In response to this variation, designed to protect the public, Mr Chharawala again responded to the General Osteopathic Council demonstrating an unprofessional attitude.

At the hearing in January 2017, the Professional Conduct Committee found proved allegations that the letter written to the General Osteopathic Council used foul language and was abusive. The Committee found that this constituted unacceptable professional conduct. The Committee concluded that Mr Chharawala had shown a persistent lack of insight into the seriousness of his actions and their impact on others, and the public interest and standing of the profession at large. He had also failed to engage in the proceedings in any meaningful way, and shown a serious departure from the Osteopathic Practice Standards.

In deciding the appropriate sanction, the Professional Conduct Committee, chaired by Professor Brian Gomes da Costa, found that Mr Chharawala’s conduct was fundamentally incompatible with continued registration. While conscious that removal would have serious ramifications on any practitioner, Mr Chharawala’s interests were significantly outweighed by the duty to maintain public trust and confidence in the osteopathic profession.

Mr Chharawala is now unable to practise as an osteopath.

ENDS

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

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The full decision is available at: http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/news-and-resources/document-library/fitness-to-practise/mr-habib-chharawala-pcc-decision-19-january-2017

2. Mr Chharawala’s registration number was 2654.

3. 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 practice 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.

4. Information on how we deal with concerns or complaints about osteopaths is available at: http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/standards/complaints/our-complaints-process