Brian Winfrey a former registered chiropractor posted this under comments earlier today.
I thought his concerns deserve a full posting
December 16 2002 my partner of 13 years, a chiropractor registered with the GCC died. He had not worked for nearly 6 months as the bullying we suffered under our employer became so bad he was signed off by our GP for work related stress caused by that employer. Shortly after we buried him back in the states my partners mother made a complaint to the GCC about the horrific treatment her son endured by this chiropractor who employed us. Being as I had been employed by the same chiropractor and underwent the same intimidation, I offered to provide a supporting statement to the GCC.
The GCC refused every attempt I made to make a statement. They did not contact my partners GP, even though the GP sent a statement to them stating my partner was signed-off and under medication for depression caused by his employer. My partners mothers complaint was seemingly ignored as I received a letter a couple of months later telling me that the Investigating committee would not be carrying this complaint forward. As this complaint dealt with the death of an individual who was not only employed by this chiropractor but had also received chiropractic treatment from the employer. The GCC does not seem to have asked for any of those notes either. It is beyond sense that they could have made any kind of an informed decision to take this further without these key elements. I feel that had this information been aquired the decision to go to the PCC would have been made.
The GCCs executive officer at the time was Gregory Price, some will be aware of the controversy surrounding his resignation from the GCC and was involved in gathering evidence for the GCC. Either by favour or by bribe this complaint made by my parnters mother was carelessly ignored and buried by the General Chiropractic Council.
I then made the same complaint to the GCC as I felt that having been subjected to the same treatment and privy to first hand accounts of the bullying which contributed to my partners death, that the GCC might take the appropriate action and send this to a hearing, when there were two case which had come before the PCC because the chiropractor had meerly been rude to the patient. I felt confident that now that Greg Price could not obstruct an investigation anymore that justice might actually be done. I was wrong! The complaint I made to the GCC was met with all kinds of delay tactics and procedural anomalies. I had two witnesses that were able to give direct evidence of the treatment we endured one another former employee.
You would have though that the GCC by their own complaints guidlines would have readily taken witness statements. They flat out refused to allow them to give statements or evidence which numbered in the dozens of documented papers. There is an extremely malversatious ethos within the GCC that i believe to be at the heart of the problems. There is certainly enough documented evidence of the GCC disregarding their own policies when it suits them, as well as the destruction of papers, evidence and computer terminals to warrant all of the chiropractic profession to demand they GCC be disolved and a new body formed with chiropractors at the heart of it.
I was trained in the states and our regulating bodies, while they are there in order to make sure we comply with standards and the law, they are also there to promote the profession to the public and to promote research. This body called the GCC does neither in my opinion. While I am still practicing, I do not practice as a chiropractor in this country. I feel my £1000 pounds a year could be better spent then lining the pockets of people such as those in the GCC.
I feel it is everyone who cares about this profession to force the changes needed so that we may all get back to the business of helping people to be well again. I am now of the opinion that if every registered chiropractor in the country withheld its fees till a new GCC body was formed you would not only do the profession a great service but you would do your patients and yourself a great service by helping to create an environment that is conducive to treating your patients rather than looking over your shoulder.
