How the National Council for Osteopathic Research Website Is Organised

Updated

The National Council for Osteopathic Research (NCOR) website at ncor.org.uk is organised around two primary audiences, and the fastest way to use it is to pick the section that matches who you are. The homepage presents two main content areas: one "For osteopaths and other healthcare professionals" and one "For patients and members of the public." If you are a practitioner or another health professional, start with the first; if you are a patient or member of the public, start with the second.

The two main audience sections

The homepage is deliberately split by audience rather than by topic, so your first decision is simply which group you belong to.

Section Who it is for What it covers
For osteopaths and other healthcare professionals Osteopaths and other healthcare professionals Information on the latest research and how to develop your practice
For patients and members of the public Patients and members of the public Whether osteopathy is right for you, what conditions can be treated, and what you can expect

This structure means you do not have to search through mixed content to find material relevant to you.

If you are an osteopath or healthcare professional

Choose the "For osteopaths and other healthcare professionals" entry when your goal is professional rather than personal. According to the site, this section provides information on the latest research and how to develop your practice.

Use it when you want to:

  • Keep up with current osteopathic research
  • Find material aimed at developing your clinical practice
  • Access content written for a professional audience rather than for the general public

If you are a patient or member of the public

Choose the "For patients and members of the public" entry when you are considering osteopathy for yourself or someone else. The site frames this section around three questions:

  • Is osteopathy right for you?
  • What conditions can be treated?
  • What can you expect?

Use it when you want plain-language orientation before or around an appointment, rather than research aimed at practitioners.

How to choose the right entry

  1. Decide whether you are visiting as a professional or as a patient/member of the public.
  2. Select the matching section from the homepage.
  3. Follow the questions or topics within that section that match your immediate need — for example, "What can you expect?" if you have an appointment coming up, or research and practice development if you are a practitioner.

If your question spans both — for instance, a practitioner looking for patient-facing explanations to share — you can move between the two sections, since each is written for its own audience.

What the site is

NCOR stands for the National Council for Osteopathic Research. Its stated purpose is to provide information for osteopathic practitioners about the latest research, plus information for patients about what to expect. That dual purpose is exactly what shapes the two-section homepage structure described above.