This is the General Chiropractic Council’s Code of Professional Practice, the rulebook setting out what patients and the public can expect from every registered UK chiropractor. It is built around four core values covering patient care, honesty, safety and professionalism.
What was studied?
As a professional code rather than a research study, it sets out requirements covering patient-centred care, honesty and integrity, safety and quality, and professionalism, applying to every chiropractor registered to practise in the UK from January 2026.
What did they find?
Chiropractors are required to put patient needs and safety at the centre of care, take a thorough case history before treating, and obtain properly informed and voluntary consent. It also requires a genuine safety culture and a formal duty of candour if something goes wrong.
Why it matters
This is the standard every UK chiropractor is legally and professionally held to. Informed consent, honesty when things do not go to plan, and a genuine safety culture are regulatory requirements, not simply good intentions.
Why we included it
It reflects a wider principle in regulated healthcare: transparency and safety are enforceable standards rather than optional values, giving patients a clear benchmark to hold any practitioner to.
Help us improve your experience (and hopefully your back).
We use cookies to improve the website and show relevant content to people interested in our services.
We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You can choose which categories to allow below. Cookies categorised as Necessary are always active.
We also use third-party cookies for analytics and advertising. These are only stored with your consent. You can update or withdraw consent at any time via the cookie icon at the bottom-left. This site operates under UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). Cookie Policy • Privacy Policy
Always Active
Necessary cookies are required for core site features including security, network management, and consent storage.
Cookie
Duration
Description
hmdg_cookie_consent
180 days
Stores your cookie consent preferences.
PHPSESSID
Session
WordPress session identifier.
wordpress_logged_in_*
Session
WordPress login authentication.
Functional cookies enable enhanced features such as live chat and remembering preferences.
Cookie
Duration
Description
wp-settings-*
1 year
Stores user interface preferences.
Analytics cookies help us understand visitor behaviour. Controls analytics_storage for Google Analytics 4.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_ga
2 years
Google Analytics — distinguishes users.
_ga_*
2 years
Google Analytics 4 — session persistence.
_gid
24 hours
Google Analytics — distinguishes users.
_gat
1 minute
Google Analytics — throttles request rate.
Performance cookies collect aggregate, anonymous data about site performance.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_gat_gtag_*
1 minute
Google Tag Manager — rate throttle.
Marketing cookies track visits to deliver relevant ads. Controls ad_storage, ad_user_data, and ad_personalization.
What was studied?
As a professional code rather than a research study, it sets out requirements covering patient-centred care, honesty and integrity, safety and quality, and professionalism, applying to every chiropractor registered to practise in the UK from January 2026.
What did they find?
Chiropractors are required to put patient needs and safety at the centre of care, take a thorough case history before treating, and obtain properly informed and voluntary consent. It also requires a genuine safety culture and a formal duty of candour if something goes wrong.
Why it matters
This is the standard every UK chiropractor is legally and professionally held to. Informed consent, honesty when things do not go to plan, and a genuine safety culture are regulatory requirements, not simply good intentions.
Why we included it
It reflects a wider principle in regulated healthcare: transparency and safety are enforceable standards rather than optional values, giving patients a clear benchmark to hold any practitioner to.