GOsC launches new resources to support decision making between osteopaths and patients

We have worked with patients and osteopaths to co-produce a range of resources to support listening, discussion and reflection, before and during consultations.

Our research explored how to better support patients and practitioners to communicate what is important to them during a consultation and found that no single approach works for all. Our new resources allow patients to communicate with osteopaths in a way that works for them in order to get the most from their consultations.

Fiona Browne, Director of Education, Standards and Development at the GOsC said: ‘We are very grateful to all the patients and osteopaths who gave their time to help us find out what support they need to communicate effectively during consultations.

‘The Osteopathic Practice Standards (OPS) explain that osteopaths must work in partnership with patients, adapting their communication approach to take into account the patients’ particular needs, and supporting patients to express what is important to them. These resources have been designed to support these discussions and to help inform decisions about care and treatment for individual patients. We hope that both osteopaths and patients find these resources to be useful during their consultations.’

The new resources include:

• Patient History form: to enable patients to present their history in a way that is meaningful to them, making clear who they are and what they want and need.
• Patient Goal planner: to enable patients to identify two or three goals that are important for them to achieve, on a weekly basis, and which they currently cannot achieve because of their symptoms.
• Visiting an osteopath poster/leaflet: to help patients prepare for their consultation by encouraging them to think about what they might want to get out of their treatment.
• Practitioner Reflection form: to support osteopaths in using the CARE measure to rate their own perceptions of the patient care they provide.

These resources are available to download from our website along with our previously published Visiting an osteopath animation, designed to help patients prepare for their osteopathic consultation. This video can be shared by osteopaths with patients before the initial consultation takes place.

Osteopaths can use any or all of these resources as part of their three-year continuing professional development (CPD) cycle. For example, to demonstrate that they practise in accordance with the OPS or to evidence their communication and consent CPD activity. Further information on our CPD scheme is available on our CPD website.

If you are interested in learning more about shared decision making between patients and practitioners, you can read the Patients Association’s report Shared decision making: shared reality or insider jargon? on their website.

Supporting decision making with patients resources