Osteopath

Degree apprenticeship (integrated degree) · Health and science route · Standard ST1462 v2.0

Level: 6
Typical duration: 48 months (about 4 years)
Max funding band: £27,000
Route: Health and science
Regulated by: General Osteopathic Council

Osteopaths are highly trained to practise autonomously from the point of registration.

About the role

This occupation is found in large and small organisations in the independent, charity and public healthcare sectors in the UK. Osteopaths are highly trained to practise autonomously from the point of registration. This means people can seek care directly from an osteopath without requiring a referral from another professional. Osteopathy is a protected title, and osteopaths are statutorily regulated by law.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to evaluate, diagnose and manage patient care needs relating to the entire musculoskeletal (MSK) system and the MSK system's relationship with other body systems. This often includes managing complex and challenging presentations, the treatment of which benefits from taking a biopsychosocial approach. Osteopaths work with people of all ages and their families and carers to provide person-centred, holistic packages of care, the nature of which varies according to the individual needs and preferences of the person being treated. Osteopathic practice includes the use of palpation and manual therapy, as well as rehabilitation exercises, self-management, screening and general health promotion advice. While holding expertise in MSK health, osteopaths often undertake post-registration education to expand their contribution to meeting the needs of specific patient groups, including children, older people and animals. They may also undertake speciality roles in orthopaedics, rheumatology, occupational health, sports medicine, pelvic health and chronic pain management.

In their daily work, osteopaths interact with patients and their families and carers and with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, midwives, and other healthcare professionals. The link with researchers and educators a well as with their professional regulator and professional body, as an integral part of their professional activity. They may develop in how they practise as an osteopath by becoming a researcher, educator or business owner.

Osteopaths are responsible for practising as autonomous practitioners who exercise their professional judgement and are accountable for their professional decisions and actions. They deliver individualised, person-centred care based on holistic assessment, shared goal setting, decision making and ongoing review. They provide osteopathic care via manual therapy, therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation, and clinical advice. They are responsible for managing a patient caseload, including through effective record keeping.

How it compares

At 48 months (about 4 years), it is longer than average for a degree-level apprenticeship (the average across all 172 Level 6+ standards is 39 months).

The funding band — the maximum an employer's levy can contribute to training costs — is £27,000, at or above the £21,500 average for degree-level standards. Apprentices never pay tuition either way.

Typical job titles

Osteopath

Entry requirements

Entry requirements will be determined by the employer and education provider. However, they will typically include 3 A-levels (including a science subject) or equivalent qualifications.

Entry requirements are ultimately set by each employer — treat these as the baseline, not the bar.

What you come out with

BSc (Honours) degree in Osteopathy or Level 7 qualification approved by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) where the apprentice already holds a Level 6 degree — Level 6 (integrated degree)
Professional recognition: General Osteopathic Council — Osteopath

What you'll learn

The official standard defines 15 core duties, 50 knowledge areas, 50 skills, 7 behaviours. This is the actual assessed content of the apprenticeship — worth reading before an interview, because competency questions are usually written straight from these lists.

Core duties 15

Practise safely and effectively within the limits of personal competence and the legal, ethical and regulatory requirements of practising osteopathy.
Draw on and apply osteopathic knowledge, skills and values in personal practice, including the osteopathic principles and concepts and clinical sciences that underpin holistic osteopathic practice assessment and treatment approaches.
Deliver individualised, person-centred osteopathic care that is founded on valid consent and confidentiality, shared goal-setting, decision-making and ongoing review and establishing and maintaining clear professional boundaries.
Provide osteopathic care, including through applying manual approaches to manage pain, reduced mobility and dysfunction, providing clinical and lifestyle advice, and guiding therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation.
Manage a patient caseload, including through effective administration and record-keeping.
Communicate effectively with patients and colleagues including in approaches to advertising and promoting osteopathic services.
Practise as an autonomous practitioner by exercising professional judgement and being accountable for professional decisions and actions.
Act as a first point of contact for individuals’ osteopathic care by working with others and making referrals to meet individuals’ needs to uphold patient safety and safeguarding.
Contribute to public health, health promotion, individual wellbeing, and illness prevention.
Practise osteopathy in ways that promote inclusivity, equality and diversity and challenge discrimination.
Reflect on and address on-going personal learning needs to maintain currency and quality in practising osteopathy.
Engage with developments in and relevant to the profession’s practice and models of service delivery, including through professional networking.
Establish and maintain a safe environment for professional practice, service delivery and patient care, including through working with colleagues and managing and mitigating risks.
Engage in service evaluation, development and improvement to uphold the quality, value and impact of patient care.
Manage personal health and wellbeing and its impact on fitness to practise, seeking appropriate support when necessary.

Knowledge 50

Osteopaths’ regulatory, ethical and professional responsibilities.
The principles and standards set out in the Osteopathic Practice Standards and associated regulatory guidance.
The importance of understanding personal scope of practice and operating within the limits of personal competence at any one time.
The clinical sciences, biopsychosocial model, and osteopathic concepts, principles and guidelines that underpin the profession’s practice.
Osteopathy’s contribution to delivering patient care across the lifespan in the context of wider healthcare systems and models of care.
Approaches to delivering osteopathic care to meet individuals’ health needs, beliefs and preferences.
The role and importance of touch, palpation and the use of developed sensory motor skills within osteopathic care.
Structured approaches to critical thinking and problem solving within clinical assessment and decision making.
How to deal with unfamiliar, complex and unpredictable situations within professional contexts.
How to gain valid consent from individuals before assessing them and delivering care to them and what to do if consent is not given or is withdrawn.
How to apply clinical knowledge and assessment skills to identify normal and abnormal clinical findings and manage specific conditions and clinical scenarios within personal scope of practice.
How to identify and assess symptoms and conditions commonly presented within osteopathic care, focused on those relating to the musculoskeletal system, acute and chronic pain and biomechanical function and with an understanding of psychosocial factors impacting on individuals’ health and wellbeing.
How to undertake a holistic osteopathic assessment of individual patients’ needs through history taking and clinical observation and examination to obtain relevant clinical data.
How to obtain and record subjective and objective assessment findings within a full patient case history to inform clinical assessment and to articulate clinical decision-making.
When and how to request appropriate clinical investigations, including diagnostic imaging and blood tests, and how to interpret the reported results to inform treatment planning.
When and how to refer individuals to other healthcare professionals when this is in individuals’ best interests
How to communicate verbally and in writing with peers and other healthcare professionals to engage in collaborative, interprofessional working and to deliver safe and effective patient care.
The importance of providing clear, succinct and accurate information in making patient referrals.
Different communication and interpersonal styles and strategies, including active listening, and how to use these to build and maintain effective therapeutic relationships based on understanding, empathy, respect and trust.
How to devise and implement osteopathic treatment plans in line with clinical assessment, diagnosis and shared decision-making and to keep their effectiveness under review.
Approaches to working in partnership with individuals to optimise their function, mobility and wellbeing, informed by their priorities and goals.
How to select, explain, apply and adapt specific osteopathic treatment approaches in line with individuals’ needs, preferences and goals and by recognising relative and absolute contraindications.
How to recognise, act and advise on patients’ adverse reactions to their receipt of osteopathic treatment.
Ways to support individuals to manage their own health and wellbeing, including through health promotion, illness prevention advice, and health coaching.
The role and value of social networks, communities and activities to support individuals’ health and wellbeing.
Safeguarding responsibilities and how to fulfil these by acting on concerns about individuals’ safety.
The importance of maintaining professional boundaries with patients and colleagues, including to uphold trust in therapeutic relationships and the osteopathic profession.
Approaches to critically appraising research and evidence-based guidelines relating to osteopathic practice and applying relevant findings to osteopathic practice.
Processes to collect qualitative and quantitative data within osteopathic practice, including to measure and optimise patient outcomes and as part of engaging with clinical audit, service evaluation and quality improvement initiatives.
How to undertake risk assessments and report and act on these in line with appropriate guidelines.
The importance of upholding patient confidentiality in professional activity in line with legislation, policies and local processes and procedures.
How to produce and store clinical records in line with all legislative, regulatory and professional requirements and to demonstrate accountability for clinical decisions and actions.
First aid and basic life support principles and procedures.
Health and safety legislation, policies and procedures to uphold the interests of patients, colleagues, the public and self.
How to use population and public health data to inform the delivery of osteopathic care to meet health and wellbeing needs.
How to manage a patient caseload and waiting list.
The professional responsibilities attached to acting as a first point of contact for patients within community-based services.
The professional responsibilities attached to duty of candour within healthcare.
Legislation, policies and guidance relating to equity, diversity and inclusion.
The professional responsibility to engage in career-long learning to maintain professional knowledge and skills and to respond to changing population health, service delivery and practice needs.
The importance of engaging with research methodologies and osteopathy’s evolving evidence base, including as part of demonstrating the value of the profession’s contribution to meeting health and wellbeing needs.
The impact of organisational culture on personal and team wellbeing, service delivery and patient care.
Leadership theories and styles and the impact of their implementation on teams, service delivery and patient care.
Approaches to supporting others’ learning and development and their relevance and value for supporting personal professional development.
Theories and models of business development, financial management and entrepreneurialism that are relevant to setting up, delivering and developing osteopathic services.
The importance of adhering to ethical business practices to uphold safe, effective, high-quality care and the reputation of osteopathy.
How to manage patient concerns and complaints.
Attending to personal wellbeing and resilience to fulfil professional responsibilities and to deliver safe and effective care.
Digital communication tools and technologies relevant to osteopathic care, record-keeping and service delivery, including to uphold patient confidentiality and vigilance relating to cyber-security.
Sustainability principles and practices and their relevance to osteopathic service delivery.

Skills 50

Engage with and adhere to the regulatory, ethical and professional responsibilities of being an osteopath.
Uphold and adhere to the principles and standards set out in the Osteopathic Practice Standards and associated regulatory guidance.
Demonstrate self awareness of personal scope of practice and competence and how to work within these parameters.
Apply the underpinning knowledge base and philosophy of osteopathy to deliver safe, effective, person-centred osteopathic care.
Deliver osteopathy services within broader healthcare systems and models of care and service delivery.
Deliver person-centred care in response to individuals’ health needs, beliefs, preferences and goals.
Critically apply touch, palpation and sensory motor skills to inform and deliver osteopathic care in response to individuals’ needs.
Apply critical thinking and problem-solving approaches within clinical assessments and decision-making.
Manage unfamiliar, complex and unpredictable situations by exercising professional judgement, assessing and managing risk, acting within personal scope of practice, and seeking guidance from others.
Gain individuals’ consent before assessing them and delivering episodes of care and manage situations in which a patient either does not give their consent or withdraws their consent.
Exercise professional judgement in applying osteopathic principles and approaches, including touch and palpation, to assess and diagnose individuals’ needs.
Assess patients’ presenting symptoms and condition and appraise and discuss the appropriateness of delivering osteopathic care to meet their individual needs.
Assess individual patients’ needs through history-taking, clinical examination and obtaining and drawing on clinical data to understand their needs, preferences and goals.
Use subjective questioning and objective examination to formulate a working diagnosis and inform decision-making on appropriate treatment approaches to meet individual patients’ needs.
Develop, implement and evaluate care plans in partnership with patients to meet their individual needs, preferences and goals.
Select and modify osteopathic treatment approaches to meet individuals’ needs, acting on relative and absolute contra-indications to uphold patient safety.
Communicate verbally and in writing with peers and other healthcare professionals as part of collaborative interprofessional working and to advocate for individuals’ receipt of safe and effective care.
Provide clear, accurate and succinct information on individuals’ specific needs in making appropriate patient referrals.
Select, deploy and integrate different communication approaches to build and maintain individuals’ trust and confidence in the therapeutic relationship, keeping approaches’ effectiveness under review and adapting them where appropriate.
Develop, agree, implement and evaluate care plans in partnership with individuals to meet their specific needs, preferences and goals and keep plans’ effectiveness under review as an integral part of partnership-working.
Work in partnership with individuals to develop, regain or maintain their function, mobility and wellbeing, informed by their priorities and goals.
Select, explain, apply and adapt specific osteopathic treatment approaches in line with individuals’ needs, preferences and goals, recognising and acting on relative and absolute contraindications to uphold patient safety.
Identify individuals’ adverse reactions to their osteopathic treatment and take appropriate action to uphold patient safety, manage clinical risk and provide safety-netting advice.
Guide individuals on ways to improve, manage and maintain their health and prevent illness, including by providing advice, using health-coaching approaches, and supporting behaviour change.
Encourage individuals to use social networks and communities to support their own health and wellbeing, including through appropriate signposting to relevant resources and social prescribing initiatives.
Uphold individuals’ safety, including by adhering to safeguarding procedures and using formal processes to raise concerns.
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with patients and colleagues.
Critically appraise, synthesise and apply relevant research literature, evidence-based guidelines and other information sources to inform clinical decision-making, treatment approaches and advice.
Collect data and apply appropriate outcome measures as part of engaging with clinical audit, service evaluation and quality improvement activities.
Undertake risk assessments and manage and report on their outcome to uphold others’ and own safety in line with appropriate guidelines.
Uphold patient confidentiality in all aspects of professional practice and be able to respond when fulfilling the public interest and safeguarding concerns override maintaining confidentiality.
Create and store patient care records in line with all legal, regulatory and professional requirements and local protocols and procedures and as evidence of clinical decisions and actions.
Provide first aid and basic life support and take appropriate actions to uphold individuals’ safety in urgent and emergency situations.
Adhere to health and safety legislation, policies and procedures to uphold all parties’ safety and maintain a safe practice environment.
Access, interpret and apply population and public health data to inform the planning and delivery of osteopathic care at a local level.
Manage a clinical caseload, prioritising individual patients in line with need and adhering to local waiting list and triaging procedures and protocols, where relevant.
Act as a first point of contact for patients within the limits of personal scope of practice.
Engage with the professional responsibilities attached to duty of candour, including when things go wrong.
Actively engage with equity, diversity and inclusion legislation, policies and good practice and their implications for delivering person-centred osteopathic care and working with others.
Engage in ongoing professional learning and development through critical reflection on learning needs, gaining others’ feedback, and learning with others.
Engage with research methods, practices and developments relevant to the profession, demonstrating awareness of different approaches' value and limitations and the importance of demonstrating the profession's value and impact.
Work with others to support personal and team wellbeing, contribute to effective service delivery and uphold safe and effective patient care.
Contribute to shared models of leadership in line with role, level of practice, practice context, and professional experience.
Support others’ learning and development, including by providing constructive feedback and mentoring peers.
Apply practical approaches to business development, financial management and entrepreneurialism within osteopathic service delivery.
Engage in ethical business activity within personal scope of practice, including when developing, advertising, promoting and delivering osteopathic services.
Manage patients’ concerns and complaints when their expectations have not been met and learn from service user feedback.
Develop, apply and reflect on personal strategies to manage personal wellbeing and resilience.
Apply relevant digital communication tools and technologies safely and appropriately within osteopathic care and record-keeping, including to enhance patient access and service delivery, and maintain patient confidentiality and cyber-security vigilance.
Apply sustainability principles and practices within personal scope of practice and contributions to service delivery, review and development.

Behaviours 7

Demonstrate kindness, empathy and compassion in delivering person-centred care.
Promote and protect the interests of service users, treating all people with respect and dignity.
Exercise self-awareness and self-management in practice, including in interactions with others and making independent decisions.
Act with professional integrity, honesty and openness, including when things go wrong.
Demonstrate engagement, curiosity and reflection within ongoing professional learning and development.
Demonstrate adaptability, resilience and responsiveness to changing needs.
Engage with and uphold the regulatory requirements of being an osteopath.

Live vacancies

No live vacancies for this course as of 2026-07-24 — new adverts appear on Find an apprenticeship daily, and many degree apprenticeship employers recruit on their own careers sites instead.

Universities registered to deliver it

No university is currently on the provider register for this standard — delivery is by specialist training providers. The full provider list is on Find apprenticeship training.

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Official sources

Occupational summary, duties, knowledge, skills and behaviours reproduced from the ST1462 apprenticeship standard (last updated 2026-03-26) — contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Always check the official page before applying: standards get revised.