Walter Merricks CBE has been appointed the first Chair of the new Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator (OHPA). The Department of Health, the General Medical Council (GMC) and the General Optical Council (GOC) welcomed the announcement.
The Chair will oversee the key task of establishing this new independent body that will adjudicate on fitness to practise cases brought before it by the GMC and, eventually, the GOC.
Before OHPA commences its role, Mr Merricks will preside over a wide public consultation about its procedural rules. This will enable stakeholders to participate in the development of the organization and how it operates.
Walter Merricks was Chief Ombudsman at the Financial Ombudsman Service since 1999. Prior to this he was Chairman of the British and Irish Ombudsman Association (BIOA) and a member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, where he acted as interim Chair in 2007-08.
Walter Merricks said: “I relish the challenge of taking the principles that have been central to my long-standing work as an ombudsman – independence, fairness and consistency – and applying them as key values in establishing the new Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator. I very much look forward to working with the widest range of stakeholders to build respect for and confidence in the new arrangements.”
Health Minister Ann Keen said: “We look forward to working closely with Walter Merricks in the creation of the Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator. This new independent body will work with the professional regulators to reassure the public, professionals and employers that serious concerns about doctors and opticians continue to be dealt with fairly and effectively.”
