A complete guide to the professional conduct requirements of the GOsC Standard of Proficiency — what each requirement means in osteopathic practice, how conduct is assessed in proceedings, and how to demonstrate ongoing compliance.
Every practising osteopath must meet the professional conduct requirements of the GOsC Standard of Proficiency. Understanding what these requirements mean in daily practice protects both patients and registrations.
The GOsC Standard of Proficiency is the primary regulatory document setting out the knowledge, skills, and professional conduct characteristics all osteopaths must have to be fit to practise.
All GOsC fitness to practise assessments are conducted against this Standard — every concern in proceedings is framed as a failure to meet one or more of its provisions. The guide to GOsC professional standards provides a complete overview of the Standard.
The Standard requires osteopaths to maintain the clinical knowledge and skills required for safe, effective osteopathic practice. This includes keeping up to date with evidence-based practice, maintaining competence in the techniques used, and recognising the limits of individual practice.
CPD is the primary mechanism through which the Standard's knowledge and skills requirements are demonstrated. The guide to what GOsC CPD evidence counts covers how CPD demonstrating Standard compliance is assessed in proceedings.
The Standard requires osteopaths to practise safely — including comprehensive contraindication assessment before HVT; valid informed consent specifically addressing HVT material risks; accurate and contemporaneous clinical record keeping; and appropriate adverse event management including duty of candour disclosure.
The guide to informed consent in healthcare covers the legal and professional consent framework. The guide to clinical record keeping covers record keeping standards.
CPD Certified — Online — Immediate Access
The Standard requires osteopaths to behave with honesty and integrity in all professional contexts; maintain appropriate professional boundaries with patients; communicate clearly and honestly including about adverse events; and conduct themselves in ways that maintain public trust in the profession.
Dishonesty in any professional context — particularly falsified CPD records — is treated with particular seriousness in GOsC proceedings.
The guide to GOsC insight and remediation explains how professional conduct — and failures of conduct — are assessed in fitness to practise proceedings.
Completing ethics and professionalism CPD demonstrates active engagement with the Standard's professional conduct provisions, and provides evidence of that engagement in proceedings.
UK-registered healthcare professionals can access professional ethics training through Healthcare Ethics Courses.
Professionals with connections to Canada can consult pd.
Those with connections to Ireland can review et.
10 CPD-certified courses for £500. Osteopath-specific ethics and professionalism CPD — demonstrating active engagement with the GOsC Standard of Proficiency in routine practice and proceedings.
Bulk Buy 10 Courses →The primary document setting out what all osteopaths must know and do to be fit to practise. All GOsC fitness to practise assessments are conducted against it.
Comprehensive contraindication assessment; valid informed consent specifically addressing HVT material risks; technique delivery within competence; prompt adverse event recognition and management; duty of candour disclosure.
Sufficient information for valid voluntary consent before any treatment — specifically addressing material risks — documented in clinical records.
Honesty and integrity; appropriate professional boundaries; open communication with patients; accurate clinical records; honest dealings with the GOsC; conduct maintaining public trust.
An obligation to be open and honest when something goes wrong — disclosing what happened, apologising, explaining the implications, and describing what will be done.
CPD addressing specific Standard elements — particularly ethics, professionalism, consent, record keeping, and HVT safety — with reflective notes demonstrating active engagement.
Against the specific Standard provision most relevant to the concern — whether conduct met the standard expected of a competent osteopath in the same circumstances.
Dishonesty — particularly falsified CPD records — which consistently leads to the most serious GOsC outcomes.
Yes — osteopaths must recognise when a patient's condition is outside their competence and make appropriate referrals.
Yes — targeted CPD with reflective notes connecting learning to specific Standard provisions carries weight as evidence of active professional engagement.
All professional conduct requirements apply to osteopaths' conduct on social media and in all professional contexts.
Contemporaneous, accurate, legible records sufficient for a colleague to continue care safely — documenting history, examination, assessment, treatment, consent, and adverse events.
Yes — ethics and professionalism CPD directly addresses the Standard's professional conduct provisions and provides documentary evidence of engagement.
This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Seek independent legal advice from a solicitor experienced in GOsC regulatory proceedings.
