Citation and interpretation

1.–(1) This Order may be cited as the Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008 (Commencement No. 2) Order of Council 2008.

(2) In this Order, "the principal Order" means the Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008.

Appointed days

2.–(1) 1st January 2009 is the day appointed for the coming into force of paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 to the principal Order, and article 2(2) of the principal Order in so far as it relates to that paragraph.

(2) 9th February 2009 is the day appointed–

(a) for the coming into force of–

(i) paragraphs 1(b), 2, 6 and 9 of Schedule 4 to the principal Order, in so far as not already in force, and

(ii) paragraphs 1(c), 5 and 7 of Schedule 4 to the principal Order,

and article 2(4) of the principal Order, in so far as it relates to those paragraphs; and

(b) paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 to the principal Order, and article 3(2) of the principal Order in so far as it relates to that paragraph.

(3) 1st April 2009 is the day appointed–

(a) for the coming into force of–

(i) paragraphs 1, 4(b)(iii) and 6 of Schedule 2 to the principal Order, in so far as not already in force, and

(ii) paragraphs 3 and 4(a) and (b)(i) and (ii) of Schedule 2 to the principal Order,

and article 2(2) of the principal Order, in so far as it relates to those paragraphs;

(b) for the coming into force of–

(i) paragraphs 1(b), 2, 6 and 9 of Schedule 3 to the principal Order, in so far as not already in force, and

(ii) paragraphs 1(c), 5 and 7 of Schedule 3 to the principal Order,

and article 2(3) of the principal Order, in so far as it relates to those paragraphs; and

(c) paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 5 to the principal Order, and article 3(2) of the principal Order in so far as not already in force.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force, on 9th February 2009, the new governance arrangements for the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) that are set out in the Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008. It also brings into force, on 1st April 2009, the equivalent provisions in that Order for the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and the General Optical Council (GOC).

The principal change is that each Council, instead of having a mix of elected and appointed members (and, in the GOC´s case, also some nominated members), will now be fully appointed, and the constitution of each Council will be set out in a separate Order of the Privy Council. The new Governance arrangements also include new annual reporting arrangements, new duties to keep registers of members private interests and new duties of co-operation with stakeholders.

In the case of the GCC and the GOsC, this Order also brings into force revised arrangements for the constitutions of their statutory committees, and new powers to make rules to allow onto their registers, for a limited period, some osteopaths or chiropractors with older qualifications that are not currently recognised.

This Order also brings into force, from 1st January 2009, a change to the definition of "medical authority" in the Opticians Act 1989(2) which takes account of the new governance arrangements for the General Medical Council that come into force on that date.

NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT ORDERS

(This note is not part of the Order)

The following provisions of the Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2008 have been or are being brought into force by a commencement order before the date of this Order.