Practice Guidance

This section features a range of guidance to help osteopaths meet the Osteopathic Practice Standards, improve their practice and comply with relevant legislation.

Adjunctive therapies

Guidance for osteopaths to use when considering how the Osteopathic Practice Standards (OPS) apply to all aspects of their work, including non-osteopathic forms of care and treatment. The guidance offers fictional case studies to illustrate how the OPS apply to different scenarios.

Advertising

The information you provide to patients on your website, in practice literature, and via social media, service directories and marketing material must comply with the Osteopathic Practice Standards.

Artificial Intelligence

Interim guidance setting out key principles drawn from the Osteopathic Practice Standards that osteopaths should be considering if using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

Artificial Intelligence in Education

A joint statement on principles relating to the use of Artificial Intelligence(AI) in education and training, together with five other health and care regulators. The statement includes a set of guiding principles for education providers to proactively consider during the design and delivery of their educational programmes.

Blood-borne infections

The Osteopathic Practice Standards require osteopaths to consider how best to safeguard their own health and the health of others.

Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers

Updated guidance on the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021 came into force on 1 October 2021 (in England only, not UK wide) and makes it a criminal offence to administer botulinum toxin (also known as ‘Botox’©) and cosmetic fillers to anyone under the age of 18 years old.

Clinical Imaging Guidelines

‘Clinical Imaging Requests from Non-medically Qualified Professionals’ is guidance for radiographers aimed at ensuring that the message to all health professionals involved in clinical imaging referrals is clear and consistent.

Conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interest can arise in any healthcare setting.

Data Protection

When patients give you their personal information, they expect you to keep it securely and use it appropriately. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the body that ensures compliance with the Data Protection Act in the UK.

Disclosure and barring service

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, those (including osteopaths) who work with children and vulnerable adults, are covered by the Disclosure and Barring Service; in Scotland, it is the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme.

Duty of candour

In January 2014, the Government proposed that there should be a professional duty of candour for health professionals. This was in response to the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry, carried out by Robert Francis QC, which published its final report in February 2013.

Equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging

These are key elements underpinning the provision of fair, inclusive, welcoming, holistic and equitable healthcare. Individuals have a diversity of identities, backgrounds, experiences, needs, and communication styles. The Osteopathic Practice Standards (OPS) can help osteopaths provide care for different people in different contexts.

Injections

The use of injections is not included in osteopaths’ pre-registration training, but some osteopaths choose to complete additional specialised training to incorporate injections into their practice.

Putting patients at ease

Alleged breaches of professional and sexual boundaries by osteopaths are a common theme in complaints made to the GOsC by patients. Some of these complaints arise from a misunderstanding of osteopathic treatment and what it involves. Others could be avoided through better communication and taking steps to alleviate patients’ possible anxieties or concerns.

Raising concerns

Raising a concern, which includes whistleblowing, is when you speak up or provide information about something you believe could be putting others at risk.

Reporting female genital mutilation

Osteopaths in England and Wales have a mandatory duty to report cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) to the police if, in the course of their work, a girl under 18 years old informs them directly that an act of FGM has been carried out on her, or they observe physical signs on a girl under 18 years old which appear to show an act of FGM has been carried out, and they have no reason to believe that this was necessary for her physical or mental health or for purposes connected with labour or birth.

Safeguarding

Osteopaths are required to keep patients from harm. Osteopathic Practice Standard C4 states: You must take action to keep patients from harm. The guidance to C4 states that you should have an awareness of safeguarding procedures relevant to your local area, and follow these if you suspect a child or vulnerable adult is at risk.