Call for appropriate regulation in EU review of professional mobility

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General Osteopathic Council calls for appropriate regulation in EU review of professional mobility

The GOsC is calling for a number of new measures to promote patient safety while increasing the professional mobility of osteopaths across Europe.

In its response to a consultation on the EU Professional Qualifications Directive – which sets the rules for mutual recognition of professional qualifications between Member States – the GOsC is calling for:

• Wider regulation of osteopathy across Europe to protect patients and to facilitate professional mobility. Currently osteopathy is regulated in only six countries within the European Economic Area. This makes it difficult for the GOsC to exchange information about registrants with like regulators, referred to as „Competent Authorities?.
• Mandatory use of the Internal Market Information system (IMI). IMI was developed by the European Commission to manage and facilitate effective information exchange between bodies responsible for the recognition, registration and fitness to practise of professionals moving with Europe.
• Implementation of an alert system triggered whenever a designated Member State Competent Authority suspends or removes an individual from the Register.
• Testing language competency as part of the registration process. It is essential for public safety that Competent Authorities are confident that the health professional can communicate effectively. Currently the Directive does not allow for this, but the proposed solution that this role is carried out by employers is not appropriate for professions, like osteopathy – predominantly made up of individuals who practice alone and are self-employed. 

Commenting on its response to the European Commission, the GOsC Chief Executive and Registrar, Tim Walker said:

“We support professional mobility within Europe and the principle of recognition of professional qualifications. However safe and high quality care depends on appropriate regulation. While we appreciate the Commission is looking to simplify the current recognition procedures, however it is important that administrative convenience does not precedence over measures that are designed to protect the public.”

The GOsC?s full response is available in the consultations section of this website.

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.

Further information about the work of the GOsC, including access to the UK Statutory Register of Osteopaths, is available at: www.osteopathy.org.uk

Information on the Professional Qualifications Directive and the European Commission?s consultation is available on the European Commission website.

Osteopathy is only regulated in six countries within the European Economic Area. This lack of regulation has in some instances hindered mobility, as not all osteopaths have rights under the Professional Qualifications Directive. For this reason we are active in the Forum for Osteopathic Regulation in Europe (www.forewards.eu) which seeks to bring osteopathic registers and associations together to develop greater consistency in standards of osteopathic education, training and practice for the benefit of patient care. FORE also works with the European Federation of Osteopaths (www.efo.eu) on the common goal to develop greater regulation of osteopathy across Europe.

To develop consistent standards of osteopathic education, training and practice in Europe, we are also working with our European colleagues and the European Committee of Standardisation (www.cen.eu). This will include a set of minimum standards of competency at an EU level. While a CEN standard would not override national legislation, it would provide a benchmark in those countries currently without any regulatory mechanisms.