Overview

• On 9 March 2022 Peter Rees compared a female patient to Nora Batty, the pejorative stereotype from Last of the Summer Wine, leaving her feeling demeaned and unconcerned for her welfare.
• During a follow-up session he performed an unjustified spinal manipulation that produced a loud crack, elicited a cry of pain and resulted in a broken clavicle confirmed by X-ray three days later.
• The GOC’s Professional Conduct Committee ruled that Rees’s actions constituted a serious departure from osteopathic standards and directly caused harm to Patient A.
• By issuing only a formal admonishment the committee allowed him to continue practising without restriction at his clinic in Stourbridge.
• The case has highlighted ongoing debate over balancing patient safety and professional history in regulatory decision-making.