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Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

Osteopath legal issues

It is a legal requirement that all osteopaths must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). To successfully register, an osteopath must hold a recognised qualification. (These are offered by colleges and universities that are recognised by the GOsC and are listed on the GOsC website.)

Over a three-year CPD cycle, registered osteopaths must undertake 90 hours of CPD in total with no less than 45 hours in the category Learning with others across all themes of the Osteopathic Practice Standards, including at least one objective activity, and one CPD activity relating to communication and consent. They will also need to keep a CPD record and, with a colleague, complete a Peer Discussion Review.

Osteopaths must follow the detailed professional standards set out in the Osteopathic Practice Standards document that is available to download from the GOsC website.

What licences does an osteopath need?

It is a legal requirement that all osteopaths must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council. To successfully register, an osteopath must hold a recognised qualification. (These are offered by colleges and universities that are recognised by the General Osteopathic Council and are listed on the Council's website.) Registration for new applicants costs £320, then £430 in the next year and then £570 for each following year (correct at October 2018).

You may also be required to obtain a special treatments licence from your local authority. This will depend on the policy of individual authorities and the nature of the services that you are intending to offer.

You should also be aware of the following:

  • if background music is provided in the clinic you will usually need a Music Licence from PPL PRS Ltd. There is an annual fee for this which you can pay online on the PPL PRS website
  • if you keep computerised records of patients' or other individuals' personal details, it's likely that you'll be required to register as a data user with the Information Commissioner's Office. From May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation has introduced additional protection for personal data

Professional indemnity insurance

It is a requirement of registration with the General Osteopathic Council that all osteopaths must have at least £5 million of professional indemnity insurance cover.

Equipment

Any electrical equipment you use when you treat patients should be checked periodically by a qualified electrician and should have a maintenance certificate.

Protecting patients' information

As you will be keeping patients' records then you need to be aware of the Data Protection Act and how it applies to you. The General Osteopathic Council's Osteopathic Practice Standards includes guidance on keeping patient records. There is also data protection advice and guidance for health professionals on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Health & Safety, fire

You must comply with workplace health and safety and fire safety legislation.

Employment legislation

Anyone employing staff must comply with employment legislation. Important areas of legislation include recruitment, employment contracts, pay, working hours, holidays, employment policies, sickness, maternity, paternity, discrimination, discipline, grievances, dismissals, redundancies and employment tribunals.

Insurance for an osteopath

Contact an insurer or insurance broker and explain exactly how your business will operate - they will then explain what insurance cover you must have by law, and other cover you should consider. This might include:

  • professional indemnity. In order to register with the General Osteopathic Council, you will need to have at least £5 million of professional indemnity insurance cover
  • all risks cover for your equipment
  • public liability
  • employer's liability insurance
  • loss of earnings
  • premises
  • motor insurance

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