
Consent and Privacy Information
PATIENT CONSENT
You will be seen by a fully qualified and registered osteopath.
Please do not hesitate to ask the osteopath to stop the treatment and explain anything he/she says or does at any time during your appointment.
The osteopath needs to know about your health past and present and you will be asked detailed questions about your complaint, medical history, general health and any medication you may be taking.
You may be asked to perform simple movements to help the osteopath understand and assess your condition. Further examination may be conducted while you are on the examination couch including but not limited to; take your blood pressure, test reflexes, joint mobility and muscle strength.
The osteopath will make a diagnosis which she will discuss with you and in most cases some treatment will be given but if the osteopath does not feel you will benefit from osteopathic treatment, she will explain why.
You may feel uncomfortable for the first 24 hours or so after treatment. Please feel free to ring and talk to the osteopath if you need to.
It may take several sessions before your condition is relieved.
It may be helpful during the course of your treatment for the osteopath to either inform your GP about areas of your health and treatment or for the osteopath to get further details of your medical history. Your consent is required for this and we will ensure we inform you before doing so.
You can withdraw your consent for treatment at any time.
You, as the patient, are responsible for the payment of all osteopathic consultation fees and other services.
General statement ‐ Osteopathic techniques competently applied are generally held to be very safe. But all healthcare interventions carry a level of risk. Serious and permanent harm arising from osteopathic treatment is extremely rare; however, temporary soreness and exacerbations are relatively common with manual therapy. I understand, and I am informed that, in the practice of osteopathy there are some very slight risks to treatment, including, but not limited to, muscle and joint soreness, muscle strains, joint strains, fractures or disc injuries.
Cervical Manipulation ‐ Osteopathic manipulation of the joints in the neck is generally held to be very safe. There are no accurate figures available on osteopathic manipulation incidences in Australia. The incidence is so rare that it is difficult to compile accurate statistics. Apparently similar techniques applied by chiropractors in various studies have given been associated with stroke like symptoms vary from 1:50,000 to 1:5 million manipulations. It is an assumption that the risks of osteopathic manipulation carry the same risk. It is hoped that osteopathic assessment and clinical reasoning may well reduce the level of risk further. The research also fails to distinguish between stroke like symptoms caused by manipulation from events in progress that cause the patient to seek osteopathic healthcare in the first place. I understand, and I am informed that, osteopathic cervical manipulation there are the above risks to treatment, including, but not limited to, muscle and joint soreness, muscle strains, joint strains, fractures, disc injuries, strokes or stroke like episodes.
Adult Informed Consent Agreement to Osteopathic Care at East Coast Osteopathy
Osteopathy is recognized as an effective and safe method of care for many conditions. However, as with all health care procedures, there are associated risks. As an Osteopath I am required to inform you of the potential risk associated with osteopathic care.
Please read the following information carefully and before signing the document. You will be given the opportunity to discuss any questions you may have with the Osteopath about what you have read and about the nature, purpose and extent of your proposed osteopathic treatment.
I …………………………………………………….., hereby request and consent to osteopathic treatment/care by NISHA HENDERSON – CONSULTING OSTEOPATH and or any other osteopath working in this clinic.
I have had the opportunity to discuss the nature and purpose of the osteopathic treatment I will receive.
I have been informed of and understand that, as in any heathcare practice, there are some risks associated with osteopathic treatment, including, but not limited to; an aggravation or exacerbation of my condition, nausea, dizziness, muscle strain, muscle and joint soreness. Extremely rare very serious complications such as stroke and stroke-like episodes, nerve injury, fractures, disc injury.
I also acknowledge the following additional potential risks, insofar as my own proposed osteopathic care is concerned, have been explained to me. __________________________________________________________________________________
I do not expect the practitioner to be able to anticipate all complications associated with my treatment and I wish to rely on the osteopath to exercise judgement during the course of treatment, which the osteopath feels at the time, based on the facts then known, is in my best interests.
I also understand that the results are not guaranteed.

