Who is the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC)?

The General Osteophatchic Council (GOsC) is a body corporate created by the Osteopaths Act 1993 (OA 1993)to have the general function of developing and regulating the profession osteopathy with an over-arching objective of the protection of the public by:

1. •

    protecting, promoting and maintaining the health, safety and well-being of the public

2. •

   promoting and maintaining public confidence in the profession of osteopathy, and

3. •

   promoting and maintaining proper professional standards and conduct for members of the profession

This Practice Note provides a guide to GOsC fitness to practise proceedings, investigations and applications to be restored to the Register. It is a criminal offence to use the title of ‘osteopath’ without being registered with the GOsC.

This Practice Note should be read in conjunction with Practice Notes: Common principles in fitness to practise proceedings and Criminal proceedings and convictions in healthcare regulatory proceedings and the specific Practice Note for each of the other healthcare regulators below:

1. •

   General Medical Council—fitness to practise proceedings

2. •

   General Pharmaceutical Council—fitness