The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) has published the latest annual independent concerns report from the National Council of Osteopathic Research (NCOR), covering issues raised about osteopaths and osteopathic services between 1 January and 31 December 2024.
The report analyses concerns submitted by patients, the public, healthcare professionals and sector workers. The findings are used by both osteopaths and the GOsC to identify trends, reflect on practice and reduce the likelihood of similar concerns arising in future.
Despite the breadth of data, overall concern levels remain low. NCOR reports that fewer than 2% of osteopaths had a concern raised about them in 2024, and patient satisfaction continues to exceed 95%.
Key findings
- 103 osteopaths had concerns raised about them, down from 117 in 2023, out of approximately 5,596 registrants.
- 66.9% of concerns related to male osteopaths.
- Osteopaths qualified for 10 years or more were more likely to have a concern raised than those with fewer years in practice.
Most common types of concerns
- Treatment causing new or increased pain or injury (15)
- Forceful treatment (14)
- Communicating inappropriately (11)
- Failure to communicate effectively (7)
- Sexual impropriety (7)
- Value for money (7)
- Failure to refer (5)
- Missed diagnosis (5)
Although the report focuses on 2024, the GOsC notes a significant rise in concerns relating to professional boundaries during 2025, which will be reflected in next year’s NCOR analysis.
Not all concerns progressed to fitness to practise proceedings.
About the report
NCOR’s annual concerns report brings together data from the GOsC, the Institute of Osteopathy and three major insurers. It remains the only dataset of its kind for the osteopathic profession, offering valuable learning for practitioners, students and education providers.
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