How the General Chiropractic Council uses Private Investigators to regulate. In 2007 Peter Dixon denied the GCC used PIs?

Having received the answers to my Freedom of Information requests from the GCC and CHRE, I was not disappointed, as I said in an earlier posting what Margaret Coats would refuse to reveal would tell you more than what she would reveal. First I will deal with the issue of their use of \private investigators.  Monday I will deal with the complains which have been made against chiropractors and what has been agreed to give the impression of regulatory competence.

 lisabon2 1. How many members of the public were reported to the police by the GCC for breeches of section 32 of the Chiropractic Act 1994,in 2007,2008,2009? 2,4,3

2. How many times did the GCC instruct private investigators in 2007,2008,2009? 6,3,6

3. Who makes the decision on behalf of the GCC to instruct  private investigators?  The Chief Executive and Registrar Margaret Coats

4. What guidelines does the GCC use when instructing private investigators?  The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 however I believed they have over stepped the mark as indicated by the Home Office and I have complained to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal Would the GCC over step the mark, would they have telephones bugged? We know for example that Margaret Coats has intercepted mail sent to chiropractic council members.  Former deputy Registrar Greg Price has was happy to do her dirty work. He promoted Margaret Coats work for the GCC on the internet under the pseudonym “Cognito”. Price posted obscene messages about critics of the GCC on the internet and was subject to a police investigation after allegation of questionable conduct in relation to making complaints go away were made to the police. Peter Dixon denied in writing that a police investigation had taken place, this was untrue and a clear example of how the general chiropractic council conducts its business with the CHREs approval.

5. Has the GCC consulted the Department of Health regarding its use of private investigators? No

6. Does the CHRE know the GCC uses private investigators? Yes

7. Does the Privy Council know the GCC uses private investigators? No

8. In March 2008 GCC officer Winnie Walsh wrote to Mr A Kurukgy  who was practicing at the Groves Medical Centre in New Malden informing him that he was in breech of section 32 of the Chiropractic Act 1994. Were private investigators instructed to monitor Mr Kurukgy’s activities? The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA.

redacted 9. Was Mr A Kurukgy reported to the police by the GCC? The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA. I was a member of the GCC when Medical Doctor Mr A Kurukgy told a patient of mine that he was a chiropractor and treated the patient three times. It took the GCC months to respond to the complainant and then only after I e-mailed them 4 times on behalf of the complainant. Their way of dealing with Mr Kurukgy is very different from the way they have gone after me.

10. Was Richard Lanigan reported to the police by the GCC, if so which police station? The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA.

11. Have the GCC ever informed Mr Richard Lanigan that he was in breech of the Chiropractic Act 1994. If so may I have a copy of the letter? The GCC have not explicitly stated that Mr Lanigan had breached the Chiropractic Act 1994. When I told the GCC I was resigning from the chiropractic register in November 2008 they sent a standard letter informing me that it was a criminal offence to continue to call myself a chiropractor while no on the register. I sent the GCC my consent form which made it absolutely clear to patients why I had resigned from the register and no longer used the title chiropractor. It would seem Margaret Coats did not believe me.

12. Why did the GCC instruct private investigators to investigate Richard Lanigan. Over what period did this observation take place. Is the investigation ongoing The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA.

13. What evidence did the GCC have to justify investigating Richard Lanigan? The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA.

14. How much have the investigators of Richard Lanigan cost to date? The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA.

15. How many organisations/people have the GCC contacted informing them that Richard Lanigan was no longer on the chiropractic register? The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA.

16. I wish to see  copies of the letters or e-mails that were sent? The GCC considers that this information is exempt under s, 30 (1) (a) of the FOIA.

The GCC has been informed that the Information Commissioners Office has begun an investigation into the GCCs use of this exemption under the Freedom of information Act, to decide if the exemption is valid.

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