We will continue to update this page as the review progresses.

What are the Osteopathic Practice Standards?

The Osteopathic Practice Standards (OPS) set out the knowledge and skills necessary to be an osteopath and they explain how osteopaths practise to high standards of competence, ethics, professionalism and safety.

With guidance from the OPS, osteopaths are trained to exercise their professional judgment to make independent decisions in partnership with patients in providing osteopathic advice and care.

Why are we reviewing the standards now?

It is good practice to review professional standards regularly to reflect changes in law, society and public expectations as well as developments in osteopathic practice and training.

Human interaction, touch and a holistic patient approach remain key foundations of osteopathic practice. The diversity of approaches in osteopathy supports patients in getting the care they want and need and we are proud of the high-quality care that osteopaths offer to patients.

Our 2023 Public and Patients Perceptions You Gov survey showed that osteopaths continued to provide high quality care with 94 to 99% of patients who had recently seen their osteopath rating them as good.

However, since the last review in 2019, health policy changes have included:

• national shared decision-making guidelines,
• shifting care to communities, to prevention and to digital literacy,
• changes in how many osteopaths work, and
• increasing use of artificial intelligence.

At the same time, complaints about failing to maintain appropriate professional boundaries are rising across the health professions, including osteopathy.

We also receive regular queries from osteopaths, patients and other health professionals about referrals, safety netting, speaking up, expectations about support, and how to delegate among other things.

We want to work with osteopaths, patients and others to make sure that the OPS is clear, accessible and fit for purpose for the future.

First stage – Call for feedback

We heard from osteopaths, students, patients and anyone with an interest in osteopathic practice to understand:

• What they thought of the current standards.
• How useful the standards are in practice.
• What works well and what doesn’t.
• Whether anything important is missing (including coverage of contemporary issues).

The call for feedback has now ended but the timeline below highlights the full process.

Second stage – consideration of evidence and changes by our reference group

We have been working with a reference group of osteopaths, students, patients and others with relevant experience to review the feedback we received and consider other evidence.
The group is helping us identify what works well in the current standards, where greater clarity may be needed and how the standards should respond to changes in practice and wider society.

01 March 2026

Call for feedback concludes

April and May 2026

Feedback analysed and first draft considered by working group (including osteopaths, students and patients)

October/November 2026

Draft considered by our Policy and Education Committee and Council and agreed for formal consultation

Winter 2026/27

Formal consultation launched along with comprehensive engagement programme

Spring 2027

Conclusion of consultation

Spring 2027

Consultation feedback analysed and final draft prepared in conjunction with working group

June/July 2027

Final consultation draft considered by Committee and Council

September 2027

OPS Published

September 2028

OPS comes into effect.