GCC demonstrates a clear commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, says PSA.

The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) has “demonstrated a clear commitment to tackling issues around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)”, according to its latest performance review by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

The PSA, which has a statutory duty to report to Parliament on the performance of the UK’s ten health and social care regulators, commended the GCC for its significant improvement and progress around EDI, concluding that it had met its Standard Three for the first time. It noted that the regulator had taken some important steps over the year to address EDI, including:

• Developing and implementing a three-year 15-point EDI Action Plan
• Creating a Working Group to oversee EDI activities
• Embedding EDI throughout its new draft Education Standards (as opposed to making it an add-on).

The PSA’s annual performance review also highlighted progress in several other areas, including the GCC’s:

• Publication of new guidance on diagnostic imaging following recommendations contained within a recent coroner’s report
• Collaboration with other stakeholders, receiving positive feedback regarding the GCC’s responsive and supportive approach
• Development of new guidance and toolkits to help registrants remain Code compliant, and
• Review and development of new Education Standards to meet the challenges of today’s healthcare provision.

The PSA assessed that the GCC had not met Standard 15, with some Fitness to Practise cases taking longer to progress through the system than acceptable.

Commenting on the report, Nick Jones, GCC Chief Executive and Registrar, said,

"We are pleased to see this overall assessment of our performance in meeting 17 Standards.

“The GCC views equality, diversity and inclusion as an essential and integral thread through everything it does, from public and patient engagement to developing the chiropractic profession.

"For us, EDI is more than a tick-box exercise or project but something that the GCC and its stakeholders understand and advocate. This deliberate position ensures that EDI is seen as a norm, not an exception.

“The PSA highlights the slow progression of the more serious Fitness to Practise complaints (typically about ten per year) as a concern, which we share. Like the cases, the reasons are complex, and we will continue to work hard to reduce the overall time taken to conclude these complaints, although it will take time for the results to work through."

Read PSA media statement on the GCC performance review.