The GOsC has a legal duty to ensure that osteopathy in the UK is practised competently and safely. This page explains the standards of competence, conduct and continuing education osteopaths must adhere to in their practice.
The standards of practice expected from an osteopath are outlined in our document Standard 2000 – Standard of Proficiency and the standards of conduct they should adhere to are set out in the Code of Practice.
We are committed to ensuring that standards of practice are kept under review and updated when necessary. In 2009 we consulted on draft revised Osteopathic Practice Standards and began to review the Code of Practice.
Following the consultations it was decided to integrate the further development of the practice standards and Code of Practice and we will be consulting on these towards the end of 2010.
We also make sure that osteopaths keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date with our lifelong learning programme of continuing professional development.
Along with all other healthcare regulators we are required to develop and implement a scheme for revalidating osteopaths' practice. A draft revalidation scheme was consulted on in 2009 and a report on the results of the consultation has been published.
Work is ongoing on the development of the scheme and governance arrangements for the develppment process have been put in place.
In the rare event that a patient believes an osteopath has failed to meet the high standards that we set, the Council can provide advice and where appropriate help the patient make a formal complaint. The GOsC has the authority to give osteopaths an admonishment, impose conditions on their practice, suspend them from the Register for a fixed period, or to remove them from the Register if they are unfit to practise.
