Assessment criteria

The criteria that osteopaths will be assessed against during revalidation are set out in the Revalidation Standards and Assessment Framework, which is in Section 2 of the Guidelines for Osteopaths Seeking Revalidation (Revalidation pilot). 

The assessment criteria and types of evidence osteopaths will need to present have been designed to be as flexible as possible to accommodate the wide diversity of practice that we know exists in osteopathy. The new Osteopathic Practice Standards, which will come into force in September 2012, form the core standards for the revalidation pilot.

In the Revalidation Standards and Assessment Framework, each of the assessment criteria are set against specific sections of the new Osteopathic Practice Standards and should be considered in relation to these.

The criteria relate to four key areas of practice, called revalidation themes:

• Communication and patient partnership - sections A1-A6 of the new Osteopathic Practice Standards
• Knowledge, skills and performance - sections B1-B4 of the new Osteopathic Practice Standards
• Safety and quality in practice - sections C1-C9 of the new Osteopathic Practice Standards
• Professionalism - section D1-D18 of the new Osteopathic Practice Standards