There is a growing issue of BUPA patients being unable to use osteopaths through their BUPA health insurance. Osteopaths are continuing to successfully treat patients privately and on the NHS but have now come up against the problem where BUPA is capping fees of £40 (without treatment)for an initial assessment and then £30 for follow up treatment, with no room for negotiation. This issue of capping is putting BUPA patients in a situation where they will be unable to continue to have osteopathic treatment in, for example, central London as no osteopath can afford to treat at these prices. BUPA itself charges considerably more than this for osteopathic treatment in its centre at Canary Wharf.

This issue is reducing the amount of choice available to patients under BUPA and needs to be addressed urgently.’