(2) what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the self-regulatory framework for osteopathy in meeting the needs of patients;
(3) what discussions she has had with the (a) General Osteopathic Council and (b) British Osteopathic Association on the proposed revalidation process for the osteopathic profession.
The Department has undertaken a review of the regulation of the non-medical healthcare professions including osteopathy, drawing on submissions and contributions from key stakeholders. I met the General Osteopathic Council and the British Osteopathic Association on 8 June 2006. The review was published on 14 July 2006, alongside Professor Sir Liam Donaldson’s report “Good Doctors, Safer Patients”.
A four-month consultation on both reviews ended on 10 November. We are currently considering all the responses and expect to publish our proposals, including a regulatory impact assessment, early in the new year.