New members of GOsC Council appointed

Council members play a key role in setting strategy and policy to ensure the GOsC fulfils its statutory duties to regulate standards of osteopathic care in the UK.

Alison J White, Chair of Council, commented:

“I am delighted to welcome Elizabeth and Simeon to the Council of the GOsC. Their wealth of experience in education, research and clinical practice will make an excellent contribution to the Council’s work and I am very much looking forward to working with them.”

The new Council members will serve a four-year term from 1 April 2017 until 31 March 2021. Their appointments followed an open recruitment process overseen by a panel chaired by Alison White.

Ms Elander and Mr London will replace Jorge Esteves who stood down from Council in December last year, and Kenneth McLean whose term of office will cease at the end of 31 March 2017.

Ms White continued: “I also want to pay tribute to Jorge and Kenneth for their service to the GOsC and the osteopathic profession.”

ENDS

For further information contact:
The GOsC Press Office
Tel: 020 7357 6655 ext. 245
Email: pressoffice@osteopathy.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. Biographies of Council members

• Elizabeth Elander: Elizabeth qualified from the College of Osteopaths in 1995, after initially working as a Health Promotion Manager and Public Health Specialist at Bedfordshire Health Authority. While running an osteopathic practice based in GP surgeries in Northamptonshire and then Staffordshire, she has built up solid senior management experience in osteopathic education spanning more than 10 years. Elizabeth has worked as Head of Programme Operations for the College of Osteopaths and is currently Senior Clinician at the Stoke-on-Trent Osteopathic Teaching Clinic. She is also a registration assessor for the GOsC and an education visitor for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
• Simeon London: Simeon qualified from the British School of Osteopathy (BSO) in 1995 and practises in Renfrewshire, Scotland. He is currently Dean of Academic Development at the BSO where he is responsible for leadership and development of the school’s academic provision to ensure high quality training, teaching and assessment across the faculty, and the development and quality enhancement across the school’s academic portfolio. Previous to this role Simeon has held a number of management posts within the BSO, including Head of Clinical Practice and Head of Clinical Education. Simeon is a registration assessor for the GOsC and an education visitor for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.

2. GOsC Council members are entitled to remuneration of £7,500 per year.

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

4. 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.

5. 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