Our statement on the use of the osteopath title in coverage of the trial of Jemma Mitchell
19 October 2022
We are aware of recent media coverage of the trial of Jemma Mitchell specifically around references being made to her as an osteopath.
Jemma Mitchell has never been registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and therefore has never been able to practise osteopathy legally in the UK or legally call herself an osteopath in the UK.
Section 32(1) of the Osteopaths Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) makes it a criminal offence for a person who is not registered with the GOsC to describe themselves, either expressly or by implication, as any kind of osteopath. S32(1) applies to the United Kingdom.
Members of the public can view and search our register to confirm whether a person is a registered osteopath.
Media outlets reporting on the trial continue to be contacted by us to clarify that Jemma Mitchell has never been registered with us and has never been able to legally call herself an osteopath in the UK. We continue to actively monitor coverage of the trial and provide clarification and corrections as necessary.
It has been reported that Jemma Mitchell practised as an osteopath in Australia. Osteopaths in Australia do not need to be registered with us. Osteopaths working in Australia must be registered with the Osteopathy Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (Ahpra).
