London osteopath removed from the GOsC Register

A GOsC Professional Conduct Committee found Mr Orwell guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

In making its decision the Committee, chaired by Mr Andy Skelton, was satisfied that Mr Orwell’s “conduct was fundamentally incompatible with being an osteopath.”

The Committee found that:

• his conduct involved a reckless disregard for the principles set out in the GOsC Code of Practice (May 2005) and the Osteopathic Practice Standards (effective from September 2012), and for patient safety;
• there was a serious departure from the relevant professional standards;
• he posed a continuing risk of harm to other patients;
• this was a serious abuse of his position of trust in relation to a vulnerable patient;
• this was a finding of serious sexual misconduct;
• he had shown a persistent lack of insight into the seriousness of his actions, the consequences for the patient and the wider public interest.

The Committee concluded that, in the public interest, the only proportionate and sufficient sanction was removal.

Mr Orwell is now unable to practise as an osteopath.

He has 28 days to appeal against the decision, during which time he is suspended from the Register.

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/about-the-gosc/peter-orwell-pcc-decision-23102015/.

2. Mr Orwell’s registration number was 7875.

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 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.

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/.