Registrar Update: December 2022
02.12.22 News
As we approach year-end, it is timely for me to update all registrants on several important issues and projects.
Guidance on Consent
In July, we published our updated guidance on consent. This guidance is essential reading for all registrants as it:
- Updates the basis on which patients consent to treatment,
- Underlines the requirement that registrants must be satisfied that consent has been given before undertaking any examination, investigation or treatment,
- Establishes that consent is an ongoing, instead of initial, condition of treatment,
- Includes new sections on intimate examinations and treatments, chaperones, and expectations about the records of patients.
We also include below links to other policies and toolkits that we produced or updated in 2022. These are vital resources and enable registrants to be compliant with GCC requirements.
Education Standards
This month sees the culmination of a two-year review of Education Standards carried out by the GCC. We want to ensure future graduates have all the necessary skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective patient care, and in their work with other health and care professionals.
Over the summer we received many responses from registrants and professional associations to our consultation on the draft Standards. There was general support for the proposals from those responding. Some concerns were raised along with suggestions for improvement and these were considered by the GCC Education Committee, and addressed in our published report on the consultation.
The GCC Council will consider the proposed Education Standards later this month. If approved, we will introduce them in 2023 along with revised Quality Assurance guidance.
I am grateful to the professional associations and registrants for their time and effort in submitting views to the consultation.
COVID-19
The ongoing success of the UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme has finally allowed all four nations to return to some level of normality. However, as we now enter the winter months, there remains the possibility of a resurgence in Covid cases, which, coupled with the flu, could place additional strains on our already stretched healthcare services.
I remind all registrants to ensure their Infection Prevention and Controls are fully updated and implemented to minimise the transmission of all viruses, especially when treating older or immune-compromised patients.
The GCC
Throughout the year, we have been busy implementing the new GCC Strategy 2022-24. This week sees the GCC publish a report on the expectations of patients about their chiropractic care – how patients view professionalism. Please see further details below.
Our focus next year will be more on patients’ expectations of chiropractors and professionalism in Chiropractic and the use of the GCC I'm Registered branding; more work on candour, imaging and safer care.
Finally, it’s been another challenging year and it looks like next year will be equally challenging. I recognise the registration fee payable for many at this time of year is a big expense. We work hard to control our expenditure and will continue to do so to maintain it at the current level as far as possible.
I wish you all a good Christmas and New Year.
Nick Jones
Chief Executive and Registrar
Guidance and toolkits published in 2022
Guidance on Diagnostic Imaging
Communication Toolkit (Professionalism in chiropractic)