Welcome

This page provides a link to the HPC Chief Executive’s responses to the questions about the hypothetical regulation of osteopathy by the HPC.  These questions were raised by the BOA Chief Executive Michael Watson in July/August 2011’s issue of ‘Osteopathy Today’.  Michael stated that these questions needed answering before a ballot on our regulatory situation could be considered.  The 20 questions posed were reduced to 14 by combining duplicative questions.

You can find the HPC Chief Executive’s letter answering these questions here.


A copy of the article I submitted to ‘Osteopathy Today’ appears here.

A copy of my report into osteopathic regulation was sent to the HPC earlier this year.

You can find the HPC Chief Executive’s response to that report here.  Importantly, the letter describes the situation regarding Royal Colleges and Societies for the professions regulated by the HPC.

There is a new post on Sacral Musings on this subject, where you can contribute to the discussion on our profession's future - it's about more than just the fee you pay; it's potentially about whether osteopathy survives for us to pay any fee at all.

Finally, an item I have written on the 2005/06 ballot on our choice of regulator (GOsC vs HPC) appears here.  I urge you to read it to consider the ‘choice’ we had then, and the need for another, properly conducted, ballot now.

The public consultation stage of the Governmental review into healthcare regulation starts on 12th March 2012.  Time passes quickly – if we opt for change it will be enshrined in a draft bill in early 2014. A new Statutory Act covering all healthcare regulation will come into force by May 2015 (possibly late 2014), replacing the current multiple acts, including the Osteopaths Act.  Things will happen much faster than certain parties claim (in an attempt to dissuade us from opting for change), so we need to engage now.

The public consultation will be the time to encourage our patients to make their own representations as to how they want the profession they trust and rely on to develop in the future.  It is also the best opportunity for individual osteopaths to lobby Government on the same issue, so remember to get involved, whatever your views.

The results of this survey show the preferences of over 200 osteopaths regarding the choice of regulator.

I hope you find the report interesting reading and thought-provoking (if a little long!), and that it inspires you to contribute your own views, whatever they may be, to the discussion via the BOA.

Regards,

Jason Cook