GOsC publishes fitness to practise report for 2023-24

The report sets out the Professional Conduct Committee hearings that concluded with a sanction between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

Managing concerns involving osteopaths’ fitness to practise is an important part of the GOsC’s role to regulate the profession, protect the public and the reputation of the profession.

The Professional Conduct Committee hears cases concerning unacceptable professional conduct, professional incompetence and relevant criminal convictions. If the Committee finds any of these cases ‘well founded’, it must impose a sanction on the osteopath.

The Fitness to Practise Annual Report includes the sanctions given by our Professional Conduct Committee following fitness to practise hearings that took place in the year up to 31 March 2024.

In response to the recent findings of our Registrant and Stakeholder Perceptions research, this year’s report is presented differently with concise, explanations as to how we manage fitness to practise  concerns. The report includes a fictional case study to illustrate the main stages of an investigation, as well as an illustration setting out how a typical case proceeds from a concern raised by a patient to a hearing, including how long this usually takes.

The Independent Support Service, run by the charity Victim Support, is also highlighted in the report. It is a free and confidential service independent from the GOsC. All osteopaths and other witnesses going through a fitness to practise investigation can email medicalcouncils@victimsupport.org.uk or call 0300 303 1964 to access the support service.

The annual fitness to practise reports provide guidance to osteopaths on the high standards of conduct and practice required to maintain registration.

Read this year’s report

The report is also available in Welsh: Darllenwch y fersiwn Gymraeg

More about our fitness to practise annual reports