Professional union of Belgian osteopaths

A Recognised Professional Union

The SBO-BVO « Société Belge d'Ostéopathie - Union Professionnelle des Ostéopathes de Belgique » (Belgian society of osteopaths - Professional Union of Belgian osteopaths) , has been, since 1986, representative of osteopathy in Belgium. She has been recognised by the Highest Administrative Court of Justice of Belgium (Conseil d'Etat) since 1994 (cf the Belgian Official Journal (Moniteur Belge) on 2 February 1994) .

The SBO-BVO gathers professional osteopaths working in primary care and whose high level professional training has been controlled.

The SBO-BVO only recognises the schools which meet educational criteria as defined by the Belgian academy of osteopathy (Académie d'Ostéopathie de Belgique) or by official institutions competent in higher education whether accredited by the Belgian Federal Government or the Community Governments. SBO is before all for an osteopathic training at university level.

Since 2004, the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) (university of the French Community of Brussels) has organised within the studies in Sciences de la motricité, an option "osteopathy" leading to a Complementary Master. The curriculum of osteopathy, organised with the cooperation of the Faculty of Medicine, is taught on a six-year period and is a unique training in Europe .

Only the osteopaths who have graduated in these schools or their equivalent are accepted. They have the right to the title of "ostéopathe, DO" (Osteopath, DO).

Moreover, the osteopaths DO, members of the SBO-BVO, commit themselves to respect its Code of Ethics. They are protected by a collective policy covering Civil Liability, Legal Defence and by a Therapeutic Contingency cover.

These conditions offer the public the guarantee of an adequate practice; they also enable osteopaths DO members of the SBO-BVO to ensure security and cares of high quality to their patients.

All osteopaths DO, members of the SBO-BVO are listed on our website in "Find an osteopath" and on the website representing professional osteopaths.

An on-call service is organised during the week-ends and public holidays, please see the call number of the on-duty osteopath located in your area.

Objectives

The aim of the Union is to study, defend and develop the professional interests of its members, and more particularly:

To defend the common interests of osteopaths in the practice of their profession, to ensure their representation and the respect of the profession.

To observe the criteria of competence gained through valid training and to make sure that these criteria are respected as defined by the Académie d'Ostéopathie de Belgique asbl.

To promote the study and the official recognition of osteopathy and to establish a status for osteopaths.

To represent its members with the political, administrative or university authorities in the fields relevant to the interests of the profession.

To act as the legal defense of its full members and aspirant members provided they complied with the professional ethics and deontology.

To contribute to the development of an effective solidarity and professional ethics among the members of the Union and with the other Professional Unions, grouped in the GNRPO.

Generally speaking, to be involved in everything concerning osteopathy.

Members

The SBO-BVO gathers different categories of members:

Full Members DO, members of the SBO-BVO: fully-qualified osteopaths in their own right in their professional approach.
Graduated Aspirant Members: they obtained the DO (part-time training) but are still in a period of transition between their former profession and the practice of osteopathy. This period cannot last more than 3 years.
Trainee Aspirant Members: students of a recognised school; they lose this title once they receive the DO and become Graduated Aspirant members or Full members.