General Osteopathic Council to bring quality assurance of education in house

Checking the quality of education helps us make sure our standards for osteopathic education are being met, and that ‘Recognised Qualifications’ are only awarded to graduates who meet the Osteopathic Practice Standards (OPS). This ensures patient safety and public protection are at the heart of all education activities.

Quality assurance visits are required by law and carried out by independent osteopathic and lay (non-osteopathic) visitors. This process is currently supported by an independent contractor, Mott MacDonald, and the contract was due for re-tender this year. After an assessment against objective criteria, our Council have decided to bring services in house from July 2025 to ensure we are using our resources effectively, with a transition period until October 2025.

Fiona Browne, Director of Education, Standards and Development said ‘We thank the team at Mott MacDonald and our independent Education Visitors for their unwavering commitment to high quality osteopathic education through quality assurance. We are all committed to working collaboratively for a smooth transition period.

‘The GOsC team are looking forward to further developing our approach to enhancing standards by continuing to work closely with our independent Education Visitors, our education providers and other stakeholders for excellent osteopathic education.’

Read more about the GOsC’s decision to take Quality Assurance in house in our latest blog