The Osteopaths Act 1993 (Commencement No. 2) Order 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force on 1st April 1998 certain provisions of the Osteopaths Act 1993 for the purposes of—

• establishing the Statutory Committees of the General Osteopathic Council (“the GOsC”) (section 1(5), (6), (7), (8) and (9) and certain provisions in the Schedule); and

• enabling the GOsC to make rules and to charge fees relating to registration and enabling the Registrar to receive applications for registration and to consider them (sections 3, 4, 6(2), (3)(b) to (l) and (4)(a)).

The provisions set out above relating to the Statutory Committees are commenced fully in relation to the Education Committee. In relation to the other Statutory Committees (the Investigating Committee, the Professional Conduct Committee and the Health Committee), they are commenced to the extent necessary to permit those Committees to be established and to carry out work preparatory to the exercise of their functions but not further.

The Order also brings into force the following provisions of the Act—

• Section 11, under which the Education Committee has the general duty of promoting high standards of education and training in osteopathy and of advising the GOsC on such matters;

• Section 13, under which the GOsC is obliged to determine from time to time the standard of proficiency required for the competent and safe practice of osteopathy;

• Section 19, under which the GOsC is obliged to prepare and publish a Code of Practice;

• Section 37, under which the GOsC may make rules relating to professional indemnity insurance;

• Section 39, which deals with exemption from provisions relating to the rehabilitation of offenders; and

• Section 41 in respect of certain definitions.