Protecting patients: Raising a concern about an osteopath

GOsC regulates the practice of osteopathy in the United Kingdom. By law, osteopaths must be registered with the GOsC in order to practise in the UK. The overarching objective of the GOsC is the protection of the public.

We are here to help patients, osteopaths and members of the public when they have any concerns about an osteopath and we have the power to remove from the Register any osteopaths who are unfit to practise.

Many concerns arise from misunderstandings and it is often helpful to discuss your concerns with the osteopath first. However, we want to remind patients, members of the public and other osteopaths, to contact us in any cases in which an osteopath is, for example:

• acting in a dishonest, indecent or violent way
• working under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• having a personal relationship with a patient
• examining or treating a patient without their consent
• incompetent (which is when an osteopath’s work fails to meet the standards we set in our Osteopathic Practice Standards)

If you want to raise a concern with us, you should contact our Regulation Department on 020 7357 6655 x224 or email: regulation@osteopathy.org.uk. All our case officers are trained to provide support to people involved in cases.

Every concern raised with us will be considered carefully. But overall the rate of concerns raised about osteopaths remains low. On average around 3% of osteopaths have concerns raised about them each year.

GOsC works in partnership with the independent charity Victim Support, to provide a confidential support service to anyone involved in fitness to practise cases.

The Victim Support Helpline is available 24/7, every day of the year on 0300 303 1964.

More information on raising a concern:

• Making a complaint or raising a concern
• Our concerns process