Integrated Health - Osteopathy & the NHS
 Integrated Health - Osteopathy & the NHS  Integrated Health - Referral Information  Integrated Health - Research  Integrated Health - Case Studies  *

Osteopathy & the NHS

Today the vast majority of patients who visit osteopaths self refer and pay for their treatment. However there are numerous examples where osteopaths are working in partnerships with GPs.

Can my GP refer me to an osteopath?

In accordance with guidance from the General Medical Council, GPs are permitted to refer patients to osteopaths as statutory regulated professionals. The British Medical Association (BMA) also provides guidance to GPs on referral.

Is osteopathy available on the NHS?

Currently access to osteopathy on the NHS is limited, but support continues to grow as commissioning authorities recognise the benefits of providing osteopathy to patients.

If you wish to access osteopathy on the NHS and are not aware if treatment is available in your area, please contact:

  1. If you are in England - your local Primary Care Trust.
  2. If you are in Scotland - your local Health Board.
  3. If you are in Wales - your local Health Authority.
  4. If you are in Northern Ireland - your local Health and Social Service board/group.

For information on who to contact in your region, click here www.nhs.uk

If osteopathy is funded in your area, this would most likely be allocated to a designated osteopathic practice in the locality.

Alternatively osteopaths are employed as full-time members of staff in a hospital/clinic setting.

What can I do if osteopathy is not available on the NHS in my area?

If osteopathy is not available on the NHS in your area this is likely to be due to other services having been identified as priorities for funding. This means that NHS purchasers and the osteopathic profession need to work together to resolve some areas of concern. These include:

Research into the effectiveness of osteopathy for a range of conditions

The National Council for Osteopathic Research (NCOR) has been set up to establish an effective and coherent research strategy to allow osteopathy to prove its place and value in an integrated healthcare structure.

Highlighting the benefits of osteopathy within primary care

Problems such as back pain cost the NHS and industry billions of pounds a year. Increasing pressure on the limited resources of the NHS means that new ways are being sought to provide more cost-effective care for common conditions and problems. Information suggests that:

  • Osteopathy reduces the number of subsequent GP consultations for the presenting condition(s).
  • Osteopathy reduces the amount and cost of painkilling drugs prescribed.
  • Patients obtain relief from symptoms more effectively through osteopathy and return to work sooner.
  • Early and appropriate use of osteopathy in the community saves money on hospital outpatient referrals and helps to reduce the pressure on waiting lists.

Promoting the high standards of osteopathic education and training

Today access to the Statutory Register of Osteopaths is with a Recognised Qualification from an accredited course in the UK. All osteopathic education institutions are validated by universities and offer four to five-year courses on either a full or part-time basis. Osteopaths are highly skilled practitioners with sound clinical experience, committed to lifelong learning through implementation of Continuing Professional Development from 2004.

Further Information

To find an osteopath in your area, visit the Find an Osteopath section of this site.