The Chiropractic & Osteopathy Board is due to be dissolved on 1 July 2010 and there will be a financial transition to the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.

The Board has financial obligations which must be met including:

Transfer to the National Agency funds equivalent to fees paid by registrants for the period that extends beyond 1 July 2010.

Transfer to the National Agency the 2009 operating expenditure which will cover current liabilities in relation to staff and disciplinary matters.

Costs incurred to wind down the existing Board and transfer functions of the Board to the National Agency.

It is expected that after these financial obligations are met the Board will have a significant balance of excess funds and the Board is therefore considering how best to apply these funds to benefit the chiropractic and osteopathy professions in South Australia.

The disposal of the Board’s excess funds is limited by the powers and purposes of the Chiropractic & Osteopathy Practice Act and the Board may only apply its funds in the exercise of its authorised functions under the Act.

Section 14 of the Act states -

“(1)  The functions of the Board are as follows:

        (a)   to oversee the practice of chiropractic and osteopathy in the public interest”

Therefore the Board would like to apply its funds in a way that benefits the professions in South Australia and is in the public interest such as contributing to the maintenance of high standards of conduct, competence and education of chiropractors and osteopaths.

Funds could be applied in ways that benefit the professions Australia wide (such as contributions to national accreditation councils and the National Agency) or in ways that specifically benefit South Australian chiropractors and osteopaths.

The Board invites members of the professions to submit proposals and comments on how these excess funds should be used. These comments and proposals will be considered by the Board and then forwarded to the Minister of Health for further deliberation.

All responses should be in writing and forwarded to the Board via post, fax or email:

PO Box 229
TORRENSVILLE PLAZA SA 5031

Fax: 8443 9550

e-mail: cbsa@saboards.com.au

All responses must be received no later than 5pm on Tuesday 1st December 2009.