Membership
of the General Osteopathic Council means that Peter, Susan and Karen
have to abide by a strict code of practice and have to agree to fulfil
the 30 hour minimum requirement of Continuing Professional Development
each year. The council also insists on an appropriate level of
insurance.
By law, osteopaths must register with the General Osteopathic Council
(GOsC).
It is an offence for anyone to call themselves an osteopath if they are
not registered with the GOsC.
To qualify, an osteopath must study for four to five years at one of
the accredited schools in the UK to gain a degree in osteopathy. This
is similar to a medical degree, with more emphasis on anatomy and
musculoskeletal medicine and includes more than 1,000 hours of training
in osteopathic techniques.
The British Medical Associations guidance for general practitioners
(GPs) states that doctors can safely refer patients to osteopaths.
