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Standards for continuing professional development

To remain registered with the GOsC, osteopaths must keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date with a programme of continuing professional development (CPD).

A group of osteopaths at a CPD workshop

The CPD scheme was developed through extensive work in partnership with osteopaths and other stakeholders and aims to support better practice and patient care.

The three underpinning themes of the CPD scheme are engagement, support and community. Most importantly, the CPD scheme aims to address professional isolation by fostering a culture of peer support and creating collaborative learning environments. The scheme also promotes engaging with fellow osteopaths in a supportive way by building a CPD community.

Under the CPD scheme, osteopaths must do 90 hours of CPD in total (including at least 45 hours learning with others) over three years.


What counts as CPD?

The definition of CPD is very broad and can include any activity that maintains, enhances and develops osteopathic professional practice.

CPD includes any learning undertaken by an osteopath, for example, discussion of CPD and practice with a colleague, courses, seminars, practical sessions, e-learning, reading, research, individual study, peer discussion review, mentoring and any other activities that can advance practice.

Undertaking CPD is an ongoing aspect of professional practice. Standard B3 of the Osteopathic Practice Standards states that osteopaths ‘must keep professional knowledge and skills up to date’. To achieve this, osteopaths must be professionally engaged, undertaking professional development activities and keeping up to date with factors relevant to ongoing practice (including the wider healthcare environment).

For CPD to be defined as ‘learning with others’, it must also involve interaction (both giving and receiving information to inform learning) with osteopaths, healthcare practitioners or other professionals.

Verification and assurance

Read our guidance on verification and assurance of the CPD scheme.


Visit the CPD website to find out all you need to know about the scheme.

We do not accredit courses or other CPD materials for osteopaths.