GOsC meets 17 out of 18 Standards of Good Regulation
25 June 2026
The General Osteopathic Council has met 17 out of the 18 Standards of Good Regulation.
Every year, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) checks the performance of the GOsC and other regulators to ensure they are fulfilling their statutory role of protecting the public.
In its latest annual review the PSA has found that the GOsC has met 17 out of 18 Standards of Good Regulation. The PSA has determined that this year the GOsC did not meet one of the four ‘outcomes’ that relate to Standard 3: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
While we remain proud of our success in meeting 17 Standards, we are disappointed by the finding and we do not agree with the PSA’s judgement that Standard 3 is not met.
We know that demonstrating real change in the EDI area requires meaningful consideration and time, and we are committed to working with and learning from our peers and experts in this field. We continue to work collaboratively with the PSA, but we are seeking their assistance to help us understand what good looks like, and how we can better work together to achieve this.
We have published our full response on our website.
Chief Executive and Registrar, Matthew Redford, said:
‘Meeting 17 out of 18 Standards of Good Regulation once again demonstrates the consistently high performance of the GOsC and the strength of our regulatory work. This outcome is a credit to the dedication, hard work and professionalism of the whole team (staff and non-executives), whose commitment to protecting the public is evident throughout the assessment.
‘We have a lot to be proud of and, while we disagree with the PSA’s judgement on the one Standard we are deemed not to have fully met, this does not detract from our strong performance overall.
‘Independent scrutiny of our work matters to us because it reinforces the value of effective regulation and the assurance it provides to patients, the profession and the wider public.’
The PSA Standards of Good Regulation has 18 standards which cover the core functions of the regulator and include a focus on equality, diversity and inclusion; ensuring that relevant learning from one part of the business is applied to others; and that for GOsC within our sector that we consult with osteopaths, patients and key partners. The report also includes a review of general standards, guidance and standards, education and training, registration as well as a targeted review of fitness to practise decisions.
