In 1993, osteopathy became the first major complimentary health care profession to be accorded statutory recognition under the 1993 Osteopaths act.  This has culminated in the opening of the statutory register of osteopaths by the General Osteopathic Council in May 1998.  Only those practitioners able to show that they have been in safe and competent practice of osteopathy will be allowed on the register and in the future all osteopaths will be trained in the same high rigorous standards.