The GCC Council approved the final version of their new Code of Professional Practice at their meeting on 5 December. The BCA has been through this final version and are pleased to see the significant impact that our feedback has made to standards within the Code. Positive changes include:
Registrant safety and ceasing treatment
Members told us this was a significant concern, and we can see that the wording around when to cease treatment has taken this into account. The BCA acknowledges that the Code is a document for patients and therefore perhaps isn’t the appropriate vehicle to address registrant safety concerns, however, the GCC has made a commitment to work with us on an additional document that addresses this.
Use of chaperones
Use of Chiropractic Assistants
Open plan environments
All of these areas raised as concerns by members have been altered within the final version of the Code
We’re also pleased to see that the BCA’s wider feedback on members’ behalf has changed the final version, with clearer explanations in the following areas/standards:
Many of these standards are areas/themes that the BCA has discussed with our membership previously, often providing resources or BCA Sessions on particular topics to help navigate. Therefore, we are delighted that our expertise as representatives of the chiropractors who put patients first has been taken on board here.
Areas that weren’t altered following BCA feedback
Advertising and defining of care plans are areas that have not been altered following the BCA’s feedback, which is disappointing but does make sense from the GCC’s perspective, as the regulator wishes to focus on registrants being autonomous in their decision-making.
We will continue to support members where we can with this and look at alternative ways to support.
What happens next?
The new Code, alongside a description of the changes made to the 2016 Code, will be published on the GCC website before the end of 2024. To meet obligations under Section 13 of the Chiropractors Act 1994, the document will “sit” for a year – meaning the profession has one year to prepare for the implementation of the new Code of Professional Practice from 1 January 2026.
During 2025, chiropractors will continue to be held to the standards in the 2016 Code – meaning that, if a complaint is made, the Investigating Committee will consider the conduct in the light of the current Code.
