Patient Protection

Registered Osteopaths - The Osteopathic Act was passed in 1993 and as a result of this a statutory regulatory body known as the General Osteopathic Council (GOC) was developed. Membership of the GOC is mandatory for anyone wishing to practice as a Registered Osteopath: only those practitioners who have been assessed as safe and competent within osteopathic practice are licensed by the Council.

Chartered Physiotherapists

The titles "physiotherapist" and "physical therapist" have been protected by law since 2002, when the Health Professions Council (now the Health & Care Professions Council) HCPC came into existence. It is now illegal for anyone to call themselves a physiotherapist unless they are registered with the HCPC. Physiotherapy is an all degree profession and all physiotherapy degree programs have to be formally approved and annually monitored by the HCPC. The term "state registered physiotherapist" no longer exists. The term used is now "HCPC registered physiotherapist".

Acupuncture

The AACP is the largest professional body for acupuncture in the UK; a membership organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists, practicing medical acupuncture.

The Association represents those physiotherapists who are interested in integrating medical acupuncture into mainstream physiotherapy for the management of pain and systemic conditions. Close to 17,000 physiotherapists who work within clinical management in both the National Health Service (NHS) and private practice have so far been trained by the AACP.

All the Physiotherapists at the Waterside Clinic are HCPC registered Physiotherapists, and all the Osteopaths practicing at the clinic are Registered Osteopaths