(1)    This Order may be cited as the Osteopaths Act 1993 (Commencement No 4) Order 1999.

(2)    In this Order, “the Act” means the Osteopaths Act 1993.

5th July 1999 is the day appointed for the coming into force of the following provisions of the Act and, save as provided below, those provisions shall come into force on that day for all purposes—

(a)    in section 1 (the general council and its committees)—

(i)    subsection (5)(b) so far as not yet in force, and

(ii)    subsections (7) and (9), so far as they relate to the other provisions of the Act brought into force by this Order;

(b)    in section 7 (suspension of registration), subsections (1) and (2), so far as they relate to the other provisions of the Act brought into force by this Order;

(c)    section 10 (fraud or error in relation to registration), so far as not yet in force, with the exception, in subsection (2), of the words “or section 8, or under rules made by virtue of section 8(8),”;

(d)    section 20 (professional conduct and fitness to practise);

(e)    section 21 (interim suspension powers of the investigating committee);

(f)    section 27 (legal assessors);

(g)    section 28 (medical assessors);

(h)    section 41 (interpretation), so far as not yet in force; and

(i)    in the Schedule (the general council and its committees)—

(i)    in relation to the Investigating Committee only, paragraphs 16 to 24(1), so far as not yet in force, and

(ii)    paragraphs 30 to 33, so far as not yet in force.

Frank Dobson

One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State,

Department of Health

21st June 1999

This Order brings into force on 5th July 1999 certain provisions of the Osteopaths Act 1993 (“the Act”), for the purposes of—

enabling the Registrar of the General Osteopathic Council (“the GOsC”), to investigate and deal with fraudulently obtained and incorrect entries in the register of osteopaths (section 10); and

enabling the Investigating Committee of the GOsC to investigate allegations relating to a registered osteopath's fitness to practise and to suspend the osteopath's registration, for a period not exceeding two months, if it considers it necessary to do so in order to protect members of the public (sections 1(5)(b), (7) and (9), 7(1) and (2), 20 and 21).

The Order also brings into force the following provisions of the Act—

sections 27 and 28, which provide for the appointment by the GOsC of (respectively) legal and medical assessors with functions as set out in those sections;

section 41, in respect of certain remaining definitions; and

certain provisions of the Schedule so far as they relate to the Investigating Committee.