First Master of Osteopathy programme in Wales set for formal recognition

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) has agreed to recognise the qualification Master of Osteopathy (MOst) awarded by Swansea University, subject to approval by the Privy Council.

The Swansea University programme – the first osteopathy course in Wales – has undergone an extensive and detailed quality assurance assessment conducted on behalf of the GOsC by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).

In collaboration with the QAA, the GOsC scrutinises the quality of all UK osteopathy courses leading to registration, to ensure that education providers are equipping students to practise safely and competently as osteopaths.

Tim Walker, GOsC Chief Executive and Registrar of the GOsC said: “We look forward to working with Swansea University and welcome this opportunity for students in Wales who aspire to a career as practising osteopaths.”

Programme lead at Swansea, Ross Johnston said: “Swansea University are delighted to have met the stringent requirements for recognition by the General Osteopathic Council.

Our students benefit from high quality teaching as well as clinical training in state-of-the-art facilities. The purpose-built clinic allows students to develop their knowledge and practical skills and provides them with valuable exposure to the fundamental aspects of a modern and comprehensive osteopathic approach to patient care. We look forward to the continued development of our programme and the establishment of a centre of excellence for osteopathy in Wales.”

For details on Swansea’s Master of Osteopathy degree programme, see link below: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/human-and-health-sciences/mostosteopathy

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) has a statutory duty to regulate the practice of osteopathy in the UK. Osteopaths must be registered with the GOsC in order to practise in the UK. We work with the public and the profession to promote patient safety by:

• registering qualified professionals
• setting, maintaining and developing standards of osteopathic practice and conduct
• assuring the quality of osteopathic education
• ensuring continuing professional development
• helping patients with concerns or complaints about an osteopath.

2. The statutory Register of Osteopaths provides a geographical index of all practising osteopaths, and is available to the general public and to healthcare providers online at: www.osteopathy.org.uk/register-search

3. Recognition of osteopathy qualifications: for graduates of osteopathy training courses to be eligible to apply for registration with the GOsC, the course they take must be recognised by the GOsC. Organisations wishing to establish a new osteopathic course or organisations with existing courses that wish to introduce new
qualifications, should refer to our standards documents, the Standard of Proficiency and the Code of Practice. A guide to the standards of osteopathic education are provided in the Osteopathy Benchmark Statement developed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in conjunction with the GOsC and the osteopathy training providers. Recognised qualifications are awarded following an extensive and detailed quality assurance process undertaken on behalf of the GOsC by the QAA. The GOsC is obliged to recognise all training programmes which meet the standards of osteopathic education. For further information see: www.osteopathy.org.uk/training-and-registration/becoming-an-osteopath/training-courses/

For further information contact:
The GOsC Press Office
Tel: 020 7357 6655 x245
Email: pressoffice@osteopathy.org.uk