§ Lord Pearson of Rannochasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the General Osteopathic Council is sufficiently representative of the various institutions of osteopathy; and whether osteopaths who have practised safely and competently for at least five out of the last seven years are being sufficiently encouraged to register under the provisions of the Osteopaths Act 1993. [HL2258]
§ Baroness HaymanThe members of the General Osteopathic Council do not represent any particular osteopathic institutions but have been appointed on the basis of individual merit and for their ability to secure and maintain the highest standards of training, clinical practice and professional conduct.
In order to encourage existing osteopaths to apply for registration. the General Osteopathic Council has contacted all known United Kingdom osteopaths (3,244 in total), offering them support and encouragement. The Council's aim is to enable as many osteopaths as possible, who can fulfil the statutory requirements, to achieve registration, whatever their former practice background or chosen way into the profession. As of 30 April 1999,1,043 osteopaths had done so and a further 434 had completed applications.