HL Deb 28 June 1993 vol 547 cc657-9

8 p.m.

Lord Walton of Detchant

My Lords, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a third time.

More than four years ago, through the initiatives of Mr. Robert Maxwell of the King's Fund, a working party was established to examine the process of regulation of the profession of osteopathy. That working party, which was nobly served by Mr. Norman Illingworth, as secretary, and chaired by the Master of the Rolls, Sir Thomas Bingham, produced a report upon which a Private Member's Bill was produced. I had the privilege of introducing that Bill into this House. It had completed in part its Committee stage when it fell because of the election.

Subsequently, a much revised Bill was introduced into another place, and I wish particularly to pay tribute to Mr. Malcolm Moss for steering it through another place, and to the noble Baroness, Lady Cumberlege, the Minister, and her staff, for the way in which the Bill was greatly improved and greatly revised. Indeed, it passed the Second Reading in this House without dissent. No Committee stage was necessary. The great support which noble Lords have given to this Bill also pays tribute to the hard work done by Mr. Simon Fielding and his colleagues in the profession of osteopathy.

In many ways this is an historic Bill. It is the first Bill for the professional regulation and statutory regulation of one of the professions complementary to medicine. I believe that it is one which is long overdue. I trust that the move will be totally acceptable to Members of this House.

Moved, That the Bill be now read a third time.—(Lord Walton of Detchant.)

Lord Williams of Mostyn

My Lords, I shall say just two sentences. First, we on this side welcome the Bill wholeheartedly. Secondly, we congratulate the noble Lord for all the work that he has done upon it.

Lord Colwyn

My Lords, in my speech during the Second Reading of the Osteopaths Bill on 31st January 1992, I congratulated the Government on finding time for this particular legislation. I am delighted to be able to congratulate them again, and also the noble Lord, Lord Walton, on the way that he has steered the Bill through this House.

I am delighted that the Bill is now virtually completed, and wish to comment only very briefly on the undoubted change in attitude that has taken place within the medical profession towards natural medicine, and osteopathy in particular.

The infamous 1986 BMA report stated: There is no substance in the theory that advances manipulation as a system of healing". In the much changed and welcomed report Complementary Medicine—New Approaches to Good Practice, published last week, everything has changed. I quote again: Practitioners such as osteopaths or chiropractors can, for example, treat the mechanical components of a muscular skeletal problem whilst the patient is concurrently taking prescribed medications from his general practitioner. I sense a very clear change of direction from the BMA and from the Government. There are so many ways in which therapies that are complementary to medicine can help patients and take some of the load from the stressed health service. I welcome the Bill. I am pleased for the osteopaths and delighted for Simon Fielding. I welcome the Government's clear signal that they are now willing to support an integration of many of the natural therapies into orthodoxy and the NHS.

8.5 p.m.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)

My Lords, I should like to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Walton, on successfully steering this Bill through your Lordships' House. His success and that of those who have worked with him not only marks the first regulation of a healthcare profession in over 30 years, but by incorporating the most up-to-date thinking, the General Osteopathic Council will provide an exciting new model which other professions may wish to follow. With its additional responsibilities to promote and develop the profession of osteopathy, the general council will establish a single infrastructure, capable of meeting the needs of a small but dynamic and rapidly growing profession.

This moment is one which the osteopathic profession has been longing to see for over half a century. It marks the final stages of a long and cherished dream, the most significant stage in which will be the establishment of the first General Osteopathic Council. Another important stage will be to pave the way for a smooth transition from a system of voluntary registration to statutory regulation. In doing so, the new scheme will require the encouragement and support of every member of the profession. I am confident that the profession will meet this challenge with the same good-natured determination that it had in bringing this Bill to fruition today. I hope that industry, commerce, charitable foundations and possibly, too, individual members of the public, will rally round the profession and help support the new general council and the funding of continuing research.

The statutory scheme will provide effective safeguards for the public by ensuring that all those who practise osteopathy are fully competent to take on the responsibility for their patients' well being, and that their professional conduct and clinical practice are properly monitored and regulated.

I should like to pay tribute to all those who have enabled what began as a dream to be turned into reality. I am sure the profession would like me to thank His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales for his interest and support; the King's Fund and the members of the Working Party on Osteopathy; my honourable friend the Member for Cambridgeshire North East and the noble Lord, Lord Walton, who together have skilfully steered the Bill through its parliamentary stages; and Mr. Simon Fielding who has devoted virtually his entire professional career to this cause and has brought the profession to this celebrated place in its history today. I congratulate him and all those involved, and wish osteopathy, its practitioners and its patients, a successful and healthy future.

Lord Walton of Detchant

My Lords, I am glad to be able to confirm what the noble Lord, Lord Colwyn, said; namely, that this important Bill —so important to the osteopathic profession—has the complete and unvarnished support of the medical profession, including not only the BMA but the medical royal colleges. I commend the Bill to your Lordships.

On Question, Bill read a third time, and passed.