Continuing Professional Development
Continuing Professional Development
As experts in our field, we offer exceptional CPD courses for osteopaths, including Alumni and other paediatric specialists as well as those who are taking their first steps into the specialism. Keep an eye on our range of short courses to help you keep your knowledge and skills up to date, and complete your annual GOsC CPD requirement.
Our international conference provides an excellent opportunity to meet and discuss cutting edge topics with experts from around the world, as well as contributing to CPD requirements.
CPD Courses at the OCC:
Dates: 22-23 February, 8-9 March, 13 April 2025
Led By: Carole Meredith DO and Nicholas Woodhead DO
Location: London, UK
To register click here.
For more info please email educationregistrar@occ.uk.com
What to expect from each day
Day 1
Osteology, anatomy, physiology & ossification of the cranial base & vault including palpation
Reciprocal tension membrane & venous sinuses theory & practical
Sacrum anatomy & palpation
Day 2
Anatomy revision SBS patterns theory & palpation
Fascia & Diaphragm
Cerebro spinal fluid lecture & practical
CNS
Day 3
Viscerocranium osteology physiology including palpation
Principles of treatment lecture & practical
Condylar parts theory & practical
If you are a ‘beginner’ or an ‘improver’, then this is the course for you.
Advancing Your Osteopathic Skills in the Cranial Field
Supported by the Rollin E Becker Institute, this is a very flexible 5-day course with participants having the option to book it in its entirety or as single days. This is an opportunity to advance skills, revise and improve cranial anatomy, learn, try alternative approaches, and tailor a course to suit your own requirements. The course leaders will deliver some lectures, but a lot of the learning will be in small groups with a tutor to enable participants to explore, ask their own questions and work at their own level and pace. There will be a high practical content to enable participants to incorporate their new skills into practice.
The course leaders are Carole Meredith and Nick Woodhead, who between them have more than 80 years of teaching experience within the cranial field and are very competent at teaching at all levels.
Day 4
Detailed face palpation including intra oral techniques
Practical /technique session personalised to the individual participants
Open Q & A session with group discussion
Day 5
Practical applications lectures & practicals
Whiplash
ENT conditions
Facial conditions including TMJ
Integrating & Stacking diaphragms
Dates & Locations Available
Warren Street clinic:
- Tuesday 21st January
- Tuesday 18th February
- Tuesday 18th March
Location: 141 Cleveland Street, London, W1T 6QG
Shoreditch Street clinic:
- Thursday 30th January
- Thursday 27th February
- Thursday 20th March
Location: 85 Pitfield Street, London, N1 6NP
Costs & Insights
Paid Paediatric Clinical Experience
For those wanting a deep dive into paediatric osteopathy providing unparalleled learning alongside expert practitioners, we also offer paid paediatric clinical experience.
You will have the opportunity to attend tutorials with experienced paediatric osteopaths, providing valuable insights into diagnosis and treatment planning. You will also receive a recognised CPD Certificate for your professional portfolio (7 hours for a full day, 3.5 hours for half a day).
Cost:
Full day: £120
Half day: £60
Hours:
Full day: 8:45 AM – 5:30 PM
Half day: 8.45am -1pm (morning) or 2pm – 5pm (afternoon)
The Autonomic Nervous System and The Emotional Body
This half day workshop will explore the relationship between our autonomic responses and how we feel; with a focus on the below:
- The Poly-vagal theory will be used as a model to help us relate to the dominant autonomic responses in our patients.
- The concept of emotions mediated by peptides will be introduced.
- Time will be split between theory and practical work with an emphasis on clinical applications.
The workshop will include lectures and associated practical workshops.
More On Michael Harris
Michael graduated from the European School of Osteopathy in 1991. At the time, the school offered a broad and open-minded approach to Osteopathic practice. He was lucky enough to be taught by many excellent teachers including Susan Turner and Robert Lever. As a postgraduate, he completed the Sutherland Cranial College Pathway and has been a lecturer for the College for about 20 years. He has taught in many countries including Sweden, Spain, Russia and Germany. Michael studied with Dr Jim Jealous and acknowledges the influence of his Biodynamic approach to Osteopathy. He has also been influenced by the neuro-anatomy teaching of Professor Frank Willard. With his partner, Anne Greenacre who is a practicing psychotherapist, he wrote and designed a course specifically for osteopaths on working with trauma. He lives in rural Devon and has a deep love of the countryside and coast where he lives.
Immunity and Paediatrics: Developmental Considerations for Immune Function
Taj will focus on how a healthy immune system is vital to promote growth and development, allowing Osteopaths to explore the knowledge, skills and abilities to support the immune system:
- Developmental considerations for immune function
- The clinical phases of infection and the immune response
- Lung infections
- Time permitting, the day will also include a presentation to cover “understanding how vaccines work”.
The 6-hour course will include lectures and associated practical workshops.
More On Taj Kaur
Taj is very passionate about immunology and paediatric osteopathy. She has been in general osteopathic practice since 1983. She has an MSc in Immunology and extensive experience treating babies and children. Taj’s OCC connexion started during her undergraduate degree; she was later part of the clinical team for over 10 years. She is an international lecturer, author of the patient-oriented book ‘Healing through Cranial Osteopathy’ and co-author of ‘Fundamental Osteopathic Techniques’. Taj supports an approach with philosophy and principles of osteopathy underpinning clinical practice.
Cranial Nerves Overview
This fascinating one-day event will be on the 13 cranial nerves – yes there is a 13th cranial nerve!
Tim will be outlining how the differing cranial nerves may become compromised with the consequences of childbirth, and the possible consequent symptomatic effects.
In the practical sessions, you will be working directly on the cranial nerves and cranial foramina.
More On Tim Marris
Tim Marris has been solely using the cranial approach in his osteopathic practice for 46 years. He gained his osteopathic training directly under the hands of Rollin Becker, Alan Becker, Anne Wales, Robert (Bob) Fulford and Herb Miller- all direct students of William Sutherland.
Tim has been involved in teaching cranial osteopathy at postgraduate level for 42 years and was a founding member of The Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy (SCCO). He teaches cranial osteopathy in France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, as well as in the U.K. (he was also teaching in Russia, till the Ukraine event happened)!
He is the sole author of The Inner Approach to Cranial Osteopathy (Handspring Publishers)- a textbook for those who already use the cranial approach, and a co-author of Textbook of Paediatric Osteopathy (Elsevier Publishers).
CPDs Coming Soon
2025 dates tbc
For more details and to be added to the waiting list, please email educationregistrar@occ.uk.com
New graduates and final year students are welcome to register!
Developing Osteopathy in Paediatrics Course
This course is designed for osteopaths who wish to explore clinical examination of babies, and will cover/consider:
- differential diagnosis of the unsettled baby as well as an osteopathic understanding of the effects of birth on the structure of the body and the resulting influence on function.
- practical and legal issues related to gaining consent to examine and treat paediatric patients.
- the principles of diagnostic clinical reasoning and paediatric practice.
- clinical presentation and treatment of infants, including colic, gastroesophageal reflux and plagiocephaly.
Both days include lectures, demonstration and practical sessions. In order to provide supervision of practical workshops, numbers will be limited and places are allocated on a first come first served basis.
TBC - BLT/BMT for infants and children (with Lynn Haller & Zenna Zwierzchowska)
TBC - Emergency Paediatric First Aid Course for health professionals
Qualification: FAA Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid (RQF)
The 1-day Emergency Paediatric First Aid Course is ideal for learners with a responsibility for the care of children and babies and provides knowledge and skills to deal with a range of paediatric first aid conditions and incidents.
On successful completion of the course and assessment, you will receive a Level 3 Certification from the Awarding Body First Aid Awards (FAA), which is valid for three years and may be used as evidence of CPD.
This RQF accredited qualification is also suitable as a refresher to re-certify your First Aid skills after 3 years. The qualification is assessed both through practical demonstration and oral questioning. A learner must successfully pass a practical assessment to achieve the qualification.
Syllabus – a range of subjects is covered, including:
• Role of the Paediatric First Aider
• Seizure
• Primary survey
• Choking
• Resuscitation (CPR including the safe use of an AED)
• Minor injuries
• Wounds, bleeding and shock
• Recovery position
We believe everyone should have the skills to preserve life, and strongly recommend all APO, CPO, DPO and MSc osteopaths who have trained or are currently with OCC/FPO should hold a valid Paediatric First Aid qualification. Correctly applied first aid techniques can, quite simply, save lives. They can also lessen pain and help reduce healing time.
OCC Alumni CPD
We offer CPD Courses which are exclusive to our Alumni members. For more details visit our Alumni page and contact educationregistrar@occ.uk.com.
DPO Weekend Seminar 1 - Developing Structure (23 November 2024)
Title: DPO Seminar 1 (day 1) – Developing Structure
Led By: Carole Meredith DO
Dates: 23 November 2024 (minimum 6 contact hours per day)
Location: London UK
Cost: £150.00 p/day for OCC DPO & MSc Alumni only (plus processing fee)
Content:
This is an opportunity to revise development of the Viscerocranium with lecture material & “building the face” with bones in small groups followed by practicals to assess function.
The relationship between SBS patterns, the Viscerocranium & it’s effects on dentition & bite will be discussed.
There will be a presentation by Helen Jones a dentist with a special interest in orthodontics / orthotropics to show the benefits of palate expansion versus conventional orthodontics.
Then we will look at the osteopathic effects of orthodontics & share ideas of how osteopathic treatment can be useful in the management of these cases.
There will be ample opportunity for Q’s & discussion.
For more info/clarification please email educationregistrar@occ.uk.com.
DPO Weekend Seminar 1 - Developing Structure (26 January 2025)
Title: DPO Seminar 2 (day 2) – Developing Structure
Led By: Karen Carroll
Dates: 26 Jan 2025 (minimum 6 contact hours per day)
Location: London UK
Cost: £150.00 p/day for OCC DPO & MSc Alumni only (plus processing fee)
Content Details:
This is the second seminar day covering the Developing Structure (day 1 is on the 23rd of November 2024).
The day includes lectures and practical lab sessions; the following topics will be discussed:
– Sports injuries in children, fractures
– Scoliosis, Back Pain, Scheurmanns
– Osteochondritis
– Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
DPO Weekend Seminar 2 - The Developing Nervous System part 1 (11-12 January 2025)
Title: DPO Seminar 2 – The Developing Nervous System (part 1)
Led By: Nancy Nunn and Kok Weng Lim
Dates: 11-12 January 2025 (minimum 6 contact hours per day)
Location: London UK
Cost: £150.00 p/day for OCC DPO & MSc Alumni only (plus processing fee)
Content Details:
This is the first seminar of two on the nervous system which can be taken independently. The main focus of part 1 is on the motor aspects of CNS function. Using case presentations and case study analysis leading to group discussion, the following topics will be discussed:
– The development of the nervous system with particular emphasis on the windows of vulnerability and the possible clinical scenarios when development is disrupted.
– Management of cerebral palsy in clinical practice considering short and long term aspects of patient care.
– The role of primitive reflexes in the development of postural control and the implications of immature postural control.
– Practical assessment of retained primitive reflexes in children and the clinical significance of this.
– Seizures in children.
– Childhood headaches: assessment and osteopathic approaches.
The demonstrations and practicals following these topics will be spacious to allow time for exploration and discussion. Pre-course reading will also be provided to further illuminate the subjects covered during the seminar.
DPO Weekend Seminar 3 - The Pre-school and young primary age child (8-9 February 2025)
Title: DPO Seminar 3 – Pre-school and young primary age child
Led By: Karen Carroll and Daniel Stuttard
Dates: 8 – 9 February 2025 (minimum 6 contact hours per day)
Location: London UK
Cost: £150.00 p/day for OCC DPO & MSc Alumni only (plus processing fee)
Content Details:
The third DPO seminar will include lectures, demonstrations and practicals; the following topics will be discussed:
– Embryology and development of breathing
– Cystic Fibrosis
– Respiratory infections
– Atopy – including eczema and asthma
– Embryology and development of the genito-urinary system
– The genito-urinary system dysfunction and infections
– Embryology and development of the gastrointestinal tract
– Abdominal pain: aetiologies, differential diagnosis
– Constipation
– Diabetes in children
There will be ample opportunity for Q&As and discussion.
DPO Weekend Seminar 4 - The Developing Nervous System part 2 (22-23 March 2025)
Title: DPO Seminar 4 – The Developing Nervous System (part 2)
Led By: Nancy Nunn and Kok Weng Lim
Dates: 22-23 March 2025 (minimum 6 contact hours per day)
Location: London UK
Cost: £150.00 p/day for OCC DPO & MSc Alumni only (plus processing fee)
Content Details:
This seminar is the second of two which delve into the developing central nervous system to enable paediatric osteopaths to explore aspects which relate to understanding function, diagnoses and management in a diverse group of patients.
The focus of this seminar is on social, emotional and behavioural issues, neurodiversity and learning difficulties. Lectures will consider pre-natal influences on the developing nervous system, how behaviour develops and aspects around neurodiversity and the role of osteopaths.
Through case studies, discussions and lectures we will explore the management of children with various challenges to learning and behavioural ‘diagnoses’, including dyslexia, developmental co-ordination disorder, autism spectrum and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Practicals and demonstrations will focus on palpation of the central nervous system, the autonomic nervous system and how to assess neurological function in a school age child.
Pre-course reading will also be provided to further illuminate the subjects and during the seminar there will the space for questions and discussion to enable attendees to bring their own clinical questions to the group. Attendance of the first CNS seminar is not a prerequisite for this seminar, but some knowledge of the topics covered in CNS1 will be assumed.