In December 2005 the Chairman of the GCC Michael Copeland Grifiths could not win a vote of confidence on council. In 2006 a large survey commissioned by the solicitors Bankside Law, found that 77.1 % of the chiropractic profession had no confidence in the GCC.
In December 2006 the Chiropractic Patients Association endorsed the survey findings. Richard Lanigan came second in the poll for GCC elections 2007 stating that he had no confidence in the General Chiropractic Council to protect the public and promote the profession.
Before registration the vast majority of chiropractors happily co-existed. Registration has polarised the profession as political agendas have taken precedence over chiropractic. Public confidence in chiropractic will be eroded at a time when more and more people are seeking less invasive forms of health care.
From 1993 until 1995 I was President of the Student Union at AECC, there were students there from all over Europe with differing views of how chiropractic should be practised. We did not squabble about our differences we focused on what we could achieve if we worked together. In those two years we raised the profile of the Student Union and implemented changes that are still in place to this day. We achieved things by making people accountable for their actions. In 1995 students of AECC were treated with more respect than graduates get from the GCC today.
The 2007 elections gave chiropractors the opportunity to send a message to the regulators that they were appalled by the incompetence the GCC had demonstrated in recent years. The Council had been in disarray since the Chairman Michael Copeland Griffiths could not win a vote of confidence in December 05. The vote split 10/10 demonstrated the clear political division on the GCC which influences all decisions they make to this day.
The fact is if you get a few “team mates” looking at your problem you probably have a much better chance of sailing through a PCC hearingthan if you have people from the other side.The GCC, tried to keep the confidence vote quiet . They used the GCC “due process” to intimidate GCC members who do not tow the line by threatening tovote them off council.
Former GCC executive officer Greg Price was forced to resign for posting derogatory messages about chiropractors on anti-chiropractic websites. He nevertheless still got a reference and landed a job at another regulatory body UKCP.
In 2006 GCC solicitors tried to censor me by demanding the removal of 20 postings from the internet discussion forum www.chiropracticlive.com. The GCC also alleged that 17 members of the forums were “defaming” two GCC officers and wanted them identified. It turned out that one of the members was a GCC officer who was posting obscene messages on the site while pretending to be a registered BCA chiropractor. GCC solicitors then reduced their demands to 3 members. Cost to GCC £51,187. Not to mention all the extras which bumped up the amount to around £100,000
Technorati Tags: Chiropractic patients association,General Chiropractic Council,Greg Price
