General Osteopathic Council Backs Awareness Week

Main Category: Back Pain
Also Included In: Body Aches
Article Date: 06 Oct 2007 - 20:00 PDT

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80% of the population will suffer significant back pain at some time in their lives. With an ageing workforce, increase in obesity and less active lifestyles, the incidence of back pain is likely to increase. Commenting on the theme of this year's BackCare Awareness Week 'Keep Moving Keep Living', General Osteopathic Council Chief Executive & Registrar, Madeleine Craggs, said:

"Early intervention is key to preventing and managing back pain. For this reason, BackCare's campaign to encourage the nation to stay active and exercise regularly is warmly welcomed. Such preventative measures could help to save the economy millions of lost working days and improve overall quality of life.

Craggs continues: "Unfortunately many of those already inflicted with back pain - both young and old - do not have access to the preventative care they need. There are simply not enough clinical specialists to deal with the numbers of sufferers."

As regulated professionals, osteopaths are well placed to provide prompt, effective diagnosis and patient-centred, evidence-based care to help the nation to keep moving. Whilst Government policy 1, 2 recognises the need for a wider range of health professionals to provide treatment for back pain, the challenge is to develop the innovative services that address patients' needs.

The General Osteopathic Council

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) exists to protect patients by promoting excellence in osteopathic care. The GOsC regulates, develops and promotes the profession of osteopathy by:

- Maintaining the definitive Register of those who have satisfied the GOsC that they can practise osteopathy safely and competently.

- Defining and maintaining high standards of education, training and clinical practice.

- Guiding osteopaths in standards of professional practice.

- Dealing promptly and effectively with osteopaths whose competence or fitness to practise is called into question.

- Promoting and developing the profession and practise of osteopathy.

The Statutory Register of Osteopaths

- Osteopaths are statutorily regulated health professionals and form an integral part of primary care teams.

- There are currently 3,941 osteopaths on the UK Statutory Register.

- The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) regulates, promotes and develops the osteopathic profession, maintaining a Statutory Register of those entitled to practise osteopathy in the United Kingdom.

- Only practitioners meeting the highest standards of safety and competency are eligible for registration. Proof of good health, good character and professional indemnity insurance cover is also a requirement.

- It is an offence for anyone to describe themselves as an osteopath and practise as such, unless registered with the GOsC. The public can, therefore, be confident in visiting a registered osteopath that they will experience safe and competent treatment from a practitioner who adheres to a strict Code of practice:

- "13. (1) The General Osteopathic Council shall from time to time determine the standard of proficiency which, in its opinion, is required for the competent and safe practice of osteopath" (Osteopaths Act 1993).

- "Any patient consulting an osteopath is entitled to a high standard of care. The register of osteopaths exists so that members of the public can identify those who have demonstrated their ability to practise to the required standards" (extract from the GOsC 'Code of practice', GOsC, 2005).

- The 2007 Statutory Register of Osteopaths provides a geographical index of all practising osteopaths, and is available to healthcare providers and the general public. Printed copies are available from the GOsC. A current and searchable listing of osteopaths is available on the GOsC website: http://www.osteopathy.org.uk.

About Osteopathy

- Osteopathy uses many of the diagnostic procedures involved in conventional medical assessment and diagnosis. Its main strength lies in the unique way the patient is assessed holistically from a mechanical, functional and postural standpoint. Treatment is aimed at improving mobility and/or reducing inflammation by using gentle manual osteopathic techniques on joints, muscles and ligaments.

- Patients are given positive advice, related to their lifestyle, about how they use their body. Age is no barrier to osteopathy since each patient is assessed individually and treatment is gentle.

- Osteopaths treat a wide range of conditions, including changes to posture in pregnancy; infantile colic or sleeplessness, repetitive strain injury, postural problems caused by driving or work strain, glue ear in children, the pain of arthritis and sports injuries, amongst others.

1 The Musculoskeletal Services Framework. A joint responsibility: doing it differently. Department of Health, July 2006.
2 Health, work and wellbeing. Caring for our future. Department of Health, Department for Work & Pension and the Health & Safety Executive, 2005.

http://www.osteopathy.org.uk