Review of the year: read about our work in 2017-2018

Two major ongoing projects are close to fruition. Firstly, the implementation of our new continuing professional development (CPD) scheme that starts rolling out from 1 October 2018.

Secondly, we have completed a review of the Osteopathic Practice Standards, the standards that underpin all of our work in education, in practice and in how we address concerns raised about osteopaths. The updated Osteopathic Practice Standards were published on 1 September 2018 and will come into effect on 1 September 2019.

Other key projects highlighted in the report include:

• a consultation on changes to our quality assurance arrangements including removing the fixed five-year expiry dates on ‘Recognised Qualifications’.
• commissioning a literature review (in conjunction with the General Chiropractic Council) to look at professional boundaries and therapeutic touch.
• consulting on changes to the fees paid by international applicants to make the process fairer for existing registrants, and a new charging scheme based on near full-cost recovery will be introduced in 2018-19.
• publishing new materials to support osteopaths who may be subject to a complaint.
• continuing policy development work with new or improved guidance developed relating to hearings and sanctions, and matters that can be resolved without a hearing (Rule 8).
• continuing our work on understanding the relationships between osteopaths’ and patients’ values and their links to practice standards.
• continuing to work with leading osteopathic organisations on a shared agenda to further develop the profession as part of the work of the Osteopathic Development Group.
• updating our Equality and Diversity Policy to reflect the requirements on the GOsC as a designated body under the Equality Act.

The report, the first since the GOsC was registered as a charity on 1 April 2017, also includes information about how the GOsC is run, a breakdown of how the registration fee is spent, and sets out our main objectives for 2018-2019.

You can read the Annual Report and Accounts at osteopathy.org.uk/annualreport