GOsC continues to be an effective regulator

The annual Performance Review Report 2014/15, published today, concludes that the GOsC continues to demonstrate its effectiveness as a regulator. Key achievements over the last year highlighted by the PSA include:

• GOsC research into the effectiveness of osteopathic regulation
• Effective cooperation and collaboration with partner organisations across the sector, including the Institute of Osteopathy, Osteopathic Alliance, National Council for Osteopathic Research and the Council of Osteopathic Educational Institutions, in the interests of developing osteopathic practice in the UK and further enhancing the quality of care
• A clear commitment to promoting the professional Duty of Candour
• Development of Guidance for Osteopathic Pre-registration Education
• Consultation on detailed proposals for a new, enhanced continuing professional development scheme for osteopaths
• Development of Guidance on Threshold Criteria for Unacceptable Professional Conduct to explain the types of issues that will be investigated under the GOsC fitness to practise procedures
• Active engagement with patients and the public to research perceptions and expectations of osteopathic care.

Tim Walker, the GOsC’s Chief Executive, said:

“We welcome the PSA’s report and the recognition of what the GOsC has achieved over the last year. We regard ourselves as an innovative regulator, committed to ensuring our policies and public protection functions are based on good evidence and best practice, so that we can continually improve our effectiveness and the quality of osteopathic patient care.”

ENDS

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

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. The 2015 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.

4. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care is the body charged by Parliament with overseeing the work of the nine healthcare regulators. It carries out an annual performance review of all the regulators’ work and publishes this review on its website (www.professionalstandards.org.uk).

5. The nine health and social care regulators are:

• General Chiropractic Council
• General Dental Council
• General Medical Council
• General Optical Council
• General Osteopathic Council
• General Pharmaceutical Council
• Health and Care Professions Council
• Nursing and Midwifery Council
• Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland

6. In common with all the health professions’ regulators, the performance of the GOsC is reviewed annually by the PSA to check it is effectively protecting the public and maintaining confidence in the osteopathic profession. All regulators’ performance is measured against a set of standards that cover different areas of work including guidance and standards, education and training, registration and complaints handling.

7. The full performance review report is available on the PSA’s website at: http://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/docs/default-source/scrutiny-quality/performance-review-report-2014-2015.pdf?sfvrsn=0. The GOsC’s review can be found in section 14 on pages 98-108.