Professional associations

The General Osteopathic Council regulates the practice of osteopathy in the UK according to the Osteopaths Act 1993. Any osteopath willing to practice osteopathy in the UK must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council. Beside the Standards of Practice the GOsC establishes and monitors the standards of education leading to the title of osteopath and of the related CPD. The GOsC website provides a full register of all osteopaths qualified to practice in the UK.

The Foundation for Paediatric Osteopathy is a charity committed to raising awareness of the osteopathic approach for children's healthcare. Supported by its own clinic, the Osteopathic Centre for Children, it provides excellent osteopathic care for children and pregnant and post-natal women. The Foundation also focuses on education and training for pediatric osteopaths and on research dedicated to osteopathy for children.

EFFO is a professional association that represents and brings together osteopaths and national osteopathic organisations of 22 countries across Europe. Its mission is to spread and improve high standards of osteopathic practice and regulation while promoting research and education with the aim of ultimately enhancing the protection of patients in Europe.

The iO is the professional membership organisation for osteopaths in the UK. It represents about two-thirds of osteopaths registered with the GOsC. It provides an iO Patient Charter, in accordance to which its members commit themselves to providing the highest standards of care to their patients.

The National Council for Osteopathic Research supports and facilitates the development and advancement of Osteopathic Research in order to promote practice that optimise patient care.

An international association promoting high-quality osteopathic healthcare throughout the world based on the philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine.

OSCA is an association of osteopaths with a specific focus on sports medicine, on well-being of sports people and on the provision and enhancement of education and training of sport osteopaths.

The Sutherland Society promotes the teaching and practice of Cranial techniques within the osteopathic standards of practice. It provides postgraduate courses focusing on the teaching of A. T. Still and W. G. Sutherland.

The AAO is an international association for animal osteopaths and those who have trained professionally in osteopathic techniques for animals. The AAO aims to bring all animal osteopaths worldwide together and support them in the best interest of animal welfare despite the great variety of the current regulation throughout the world.