New Council members appointed to General Osteopathic Council

From 1 April 2016 the GOsC Council will bring together five lay and five osteopath members, who will play a central role in setting strategy and policy to ensure the GOsC fulfils its statutory duties to regulate standards of osteopathic care in the UK.

The Council members are:

Lay members

• Sarah Botterill
• Dr Bill Gunnyeon
• Dr Joan Martin
• Dr Denis Shaughnessy
• Alison White (Chair of Council)

Osteopath members

• John Chaffey
• Dr Jorge Esteves
• Kenneth McLean
• Haidar Ramadan
• Deborah Smith

All Council members are appointed by the Privy Council, following an open recruitment process undertaken by the GOsC and scrutinised by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. Members are appointed for a term of three to four years.

Council members are paid an annual allowance of £7,500. The Chair is paid £25,500 per annum for her work.

ENDS

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

Notes to Editors

1. Biographies of Council members:

Lay members

Sarah Botterill (appointed until 31 March 2019)

Dr Bill Gunnyeon (appointed until 31 March 2020)

Dr Joan Martin (appointed until 31 March 2020)

Dr Denis Shaughnessy (appointed until 31 March 2019)

Alison White (appointed until 31 March 2020)

Osteopath members

John Chaffey (appointed until 31 March 2019)

Dr Jorge Esteves (appointed until 31 March 2019) 

Kenneth McLean (appointed until 31 March 2017)

Haidar Ramadan (appointed until 31 March 2020)

Deborah Smith (appointed until 31 March 2020)

2. For more information about the GOsC’s Council please see: http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/about-us/the-organisation/council/

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. 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: http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/information/finding-an-osteopath