John Ogdon Lant  - Head of Practice

John works with osteopathic patients in this Group Practice, from varied backgrounds, with an interest in psychosomatic factors in promoting improved health pathways and working towards a specialist interest in older patients.

‘Cognitive behaviour can provide a critical pathway for self assessment and recovery, through direct advice and health education and problem solving in the biomechanical osteopathic field.’

The range and scope of the Practice at John Lant & Partners has grown over the years and now offers a wide variety of services including health promotion, a popular series of Back Care Classes and offers osteopathic services through BUPA, AXA PPP Healthcare, WPA, Cigna, Remedi, C S Healthcare and other private health insurance companies.

‘Understanding the causes and self perpetuating factors in less efficient functional biomechanical areas, osteopathic treatment can address structural issues affecting joints, ligaments, muscle soft tissue and fascial stress.’ Returning to work and normal living for patients is a key element in our work, and advising on stress related issues in the home or work place.

John Ogdon Lant established the practice after graduation from the British School of Osteopathy in 1971, following a two year period in an inner city Birmingham Clinic. He developed an interest in early degenerative change, reviewed and alleviated through treatment leading to an interest in helping older people with mobility, health indices and other problems.

John was appointed Director of the Osteopathic Association of Great Britain (now the British Osteopathic Association, BOA) in 1988 and was subsequently appointed by the Privy Council in 1996 to be a member of the Statutory Council of the first General Osteopathic Council, the GOsC.

The General Osteopathic Council arose from the Osteopaths Act 1993 whose role is to "regulate, develop and promote" the profession of Osteopathy, the first new statutory self regulating body in the UK for over 40 years.

John was an Editor of 'The Osteopath', a monthly professional magazine published by the GOsC and now available on-line.

As part of his professional work, John Ogdon Lant acts as an Expert Witness working with lawyers in London, Surrey, Plymouth, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

John was appointed as an Independent Council Member to the Family Mediation Council(FMC) in 2007 after a period as Chairman of the UK College of Family Mediators. He is a Managers' Panel Member at Kneesworth House Psychiatric Hospital, was appointed Independent Chairman of the Nutritional Therapy Council in 2007 by the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health with funding by The Department of Health and is a Board Member and Chairman of the Resources & Marketing Sub-Committee of Dentists' & General Mutual Benefit Society.

In 2008 he was appointed Independent Chairman of the British Council for Yoga Therapy (BCYT), working towards voluntary regulation for Yoga Therapists, an initiative supported by the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health, with funding by The Department of Health.

In November 2008 John was appointed to Committees of the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). The appointment will commence in January 2009. The CNHC was established in 2008, heralding a completely new approach to the voluntary regulation of complementary therapies in the UK. It builds on the work already undertaken by many of the professional bodies within complementary and natural heathcare. Upholding the highest professional standards, the creation of the CNHC will provide a boost to consumer confidence and public trust which will in turn benefit all practitioners. Significantly, the roles of the professional associations and the regulatory body are now separated in order to give increased clarity of function.

Past appointments have included working in the arts with English Sinfonia, The Arts Theatre Cambridge, The John Ogdon Foundation, Anglia Ruskin University (APU), The British School of Osteopathy, St Andrews University Cambridge Alumni, Cambridgeshire Consultancy in Counselling and the Cambridgeshire Osteopaths Group.

In spare moments, he enjoys playing the piano and sailing single handed to France and beyond on a Suffolk based 10 Metre French Jeanneau Yacht moored on the River Orwell at Woolverstone Marina. Any other available time is taken up with spending time with his wife, Vicki who works nationally in education management within Early Years, with five almost grown up children and five grandchildren scattered around the South East UK and Scotland.

 Alexandra Austin  

Alex graduated from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London and has previous Cambridge connections working in publishing.

Alex was the Winner of the Annual Graduate Clinic Prize 2004 at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London.

She is a keen sportswoman both on land and in water, and a keen musician.

She rides horses from her Hertfordshire home from where she commutes daily and has just moved house with her partner, Philip.

Alex has been an adviser in matters of Continual Professional Development for staff in the practice and has provided talks, seminars and workshops to schools, colleges and other professional seminars. She has a specialist interest in the osteopathic management and treatment of children and young people. A specialist area of work for Alex has proved vital in advising mothers and families about colic in young babies.

Louise Carruthers

A big welcome to Louise Carruthers who joins the practice in July 2008.

Moving from London after graduation at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine, she will live in Essex and join the busy team in Cambridge.

During the last four years, Louise has studied and worked in London at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has studied a holistic structural osteopathic approach, with a combination of visceral, neuro-muscular techniques, rudimentary cranial advice and relevant lifestyle and self-care planning.

The Practice at 206 Chesterton Road in 1975

John Ogdon Lant, The Founder of the Partnership Practice (Established 1971), in the practice in 1975 [Picture Courtesy of The Sunday Times]

Everyone's a Winner .... Email Champagne Winner Elizabeth Ling, who will be married to Eben Upton later in September, presented with the prize on behalf of the practice by Francesca Wiggins, Osteopath. 

Winner - June 2008 Mr Sheen of Godmanchester