Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council launch

[Falling Star]

I have just read on another website forum, that FHT have told their members not to join the CNHC at the moment, eventhough they have issued an application form if their members wish to. Is this true or just a false rumour???

RP

 

[No Less]

Hypnotherapy has had an "umbrella" organisation since 1998 - the UKCHO (United Kingdom Confederation of Hypnotherapy Organisations).

However, I'm all for any genuine efforts that are made to regulate CAM. If an extra £60 per year (or less) means we are another step closer to getting rid of the charlatans in our industry then I'm all for it. How many client hours per year do you need to pay a £60 fee??? For most therapists nowadays only 1-2 (in some cases less than 1)

 

[Lollipop]

Hi Reiki Pixie

FHT are advising their members to 'wait and see what benefits CNHC can offer their members'.

Personally I feel if I don't register I will miss out. If I were a member of the public and wanted to use a Therapist, I would be looking to see if that person was registered and if they were not I would go with someone that was.

TranquilCherub

 

[pajfaqjz]

I will speak to one of my colleagues at FHT to try and find out.

I do know that talks were held as late as December, to negotiate a discount for members of the GCMT Professional Associations, of which FHT is one. This was obtained, as long as the Professional Association assisted with the admin of it, which as far as I know, most have agreed to.

I think one of the things that certainly was an issue for FHT was the fact that a lot of its members were multi-disciplined, and they were (rightly) concernced that the fees may be too high, if it involved more than one therapy. This has been resolved, and CNHC have set an upper limit on fees.

I think what most everyone has to think about it, as bannick says, £60 is one or two clients, and this new body really will do more to make the public aware of us, than anything before. You only need see the amount PR they are already doing, and it puts us firmly in the public eye, at a time when we need all the publicity we can.

All the Professional Associations involved have (and still are) working hard to ensure that its members are protected. Here at STO, we have said yes, we will recommend that all our members join the register, as we firmly believe that it is the way forward.

 

[Kirali]

I agree with the principle and the price seems fair, unless you are a multi-disciplined therapist like myself - who would need to pay in excess of £200!

Also on the BBC site the article mentions alternative therapies, which is very misleading and I wish they would stop using this word!!

I remember being in a tutors meeting when they put this forward, you can imagine the uproar their proposals caused - the pitfalls of the regulators having absolite control and little input from those they represent!

 

[oqpaobmp]

Someone mentioned earlier that the maximum fee for multi-disciplines is £60.

 

[FineAzFudger]

The point was made earlier in these posts that the CNHC is following a voluntary regulation route, there has also been much debate about whether this is a valid and worthwhile exercise for the therapist at clinic level. From my perspective as someone whose industry has been involved in negotiations with the HPC for some time and I have an understanding of the timescales involved with their processes, the truth is that unless we must get behind the CNHC and use our collective voices to educate the general public to our cause. For the vast majority of therapies there will be no HPC regulation, protected title etc, I am not questioning their worth simply looking at the facts that negotiations and applications for regulation take years to progress, and given that only 2 industries are likely to be regulated per year because of government time and financial constraints. Some of your PAs have been told categorically by HPC they will not be regulated yet still the same PAs have chosen not to join the only body working towards standards of education and training that will give CAM credence in the public eye. To dismiss the CNHC out of hand is to limit your potential as a therapist, there is a cost involved but I know some PAs are looking a reducing their own costs to lessen the impact on the individual therapist.
I can confirm there has been a lot of behind the scenes work carried out by "working groups" from the GCMT in negotiations with sector skills councils to raise standards accross the board and to review the core curricula and standardise training and education, hopefully as Sportstherapy indicated it will allow the industries to get rid of the like of BSY style distance learning, non practitioner level courses that have historically given therapies a bad press.
to put it another way ; are you as a therapist with years of clincal experience, documented CPD, certificated achievements on expensive and timeconsuming training courses, are you happy to be seen as an equal with, or employ someone who has read a book, written an essay and answered some review questions set by a faceless unqualified tutor/assessor. If you are happy with that situation then by all means bury your head in the sand and ignore the only "government backed/financed/advised/policed" council that in time needs to be self financing that is specifically formed for your benefit.,
regards
BGFL

 

[Everthing]

Having looked up BSY they are an accredited distance learning body (ODLQC) and member of the Parliamentary Group for Integrated and Complementary Healthcare which has discussed this new body

Such sweeping statements about ridding the industry of them and other similar schools is very serious .
perhaps you should include the Open University as well as this is a distance learning body

This new body is only a voluntary scheme and having done some searching find that it is not a goverment backed scheme but funded from the Princes Trust.

Also when this "body" was first announced most of the mainstream complimnetary therpaies bodies walked away from it as it is run by lay people .... not people involved in the industry.

It will be interesting to see how long this body survives when the funding runs out

 

[fqhylgcf]

That is why from my limited understanding, the IFA, BRA and Reiki association walked away. How can lay people have an understanding of the complementary therapies - has this been addressed now, as my association has not got back to its members yet on any progress.

Binah

 

[jazzmaster]

It is indeed run by lay people, under advice from the professional associations such as FHT and the like. The lay people concerned are experienced in running organisations, hence the reason they are there.

Anyway guys, you have to make your own decisions to join or not, my cheque went in the post today, as our clients are already talking about it.

Ps to Donnyman, and without going off topic, I for one will be glad when the inferior training providers are no longer able to issue their qualifications.

Open University is a long established training provider issuing approved qualifications. You cannot put them in the same category as someone charging £200 for 8 lessons containing 20 pages of information, and then issue a 'practitioner diploma'.

As a training provider, I know the process of getting accreditation, and believe me, it varies greatly. It mostly boils down to the quality of your application form, not the quality of your training. I know of quite a few training providers, us included, that are pulling out of some of these awarding bodies due to the fact that they will accredit anyone these days!

Im not against distance learning, I think it has an important part to play in education, I have done lots myself, including OU, I just feel that some of the ones on offer are extremely poor, and should not offer 'practitioner' status.

 

[MOZHIARASU]

Here is a link to a previous post on the Federal Working Group from the Reiki forum -

http://www.massageplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?p=420913&highlight=federal+working+group#post420913

which may or may not be of interest.

Binah

 

[xlxleahxlx]

The General Hypnotherapy Register emailed me today with the following:

 

[Alli]

Hi

Here's the CthA's stuff about CNHC.

www.complementary.assoc.org.uk/regulators/

I would check out their forum as well

www.complementary.assoc.org.uk/Forums/

Personally I'm not 100% convinced about CNHC. I have checked out several PA websites which all basically say the same thing, advising their members to hold on for now and not join and see what happens.

If there was only one register and CThA & AoR tell me this is the way to go, then I would join the CNHC. But the reality at this moment is that this isn't so. I'm certainly not joining two national registers (CNHC & GRCCT) to see what happens for the fun of it!

RP

 

[binkelicious]

Hi RP,
some of the Professional Associations are advising their members, quite rightly, to check the benefits of registering etc.

The associations that are on the CNHC website, have, collectively, negotiated an 'early bird' discount for their members, which lasts for 6 months, so effectively, you have 6 months to make up your mind.

As a representative of STO, we are advising our members to register with CNHC, as we have made changes to our own membership to accomodate this. However, we are a single disciplined organisation, so our members will pay the least amount. Not all PA's are in the same position, so will advise their own members accordingly, which is, make sure you are 100% aware of what you are doing before registering.

Your Professional Association is there to ensure you get the best deal, and also to look after your interest.

If the advice is to watch and wait, then do just that, and if it is to join, then likewise.

 

[Cool]

Hi ST

Since I wrote my last post, I decided to check out the GRCCT website register. Well for a register that has been in place for almost 2 years, it was very poor. A handful of practitioners of reiki, reflexology and energy therapy, and a few less massage & aromatherapy. In fact just 2 in Cornwall & Devon (PL, TR, TQ, EX), and not that much more in various big city postcode zones.

My gut feelings are this will go down the drain like that single aromatherapy register did. CNHC sounds more sensible now, especially since massage is my bread and butter.

Thanks for your comments. I just trying to debate this to get the best deal for me as well as for the industry.

Best Wishes

RP

 

[downloadaholik]

here is a link to the DoH newsletter which is sent to CEO's in the NHS, and it clearly states

Action: NHS chief executives should be aware of this new body and, when commissioning complementary healthcare services, to consider using those registered with the CNHC.

It is quite clearly a step forward in the right direction.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Bulletins/theweek/DH_093681

 

[HAlifdniae]

Did anyone read the link that Bannick posted on the quackometer - the name is enough to make me dismiss reading any of it - however I persevered until my blood pressure rose to an unacceptable level.

It lists as quackery nearly all of the complementary therapies including homeopathy and nutrition. The article honed in on the mineral analysis of hair and trainees of The Institute of Optimum Nutrition, headed by
Patrick Holford. Patrick is one of the most respected and knowledgeable nutrionists that I am aware of, author of many books and a worldwide authority on nutrition.

I fear this is another criticism of complementary medicine.
It also said on the site that homeopaths were in the process of self regulation, which seems to be what many of the different therapies are undertaking.

Binah

 

[ep1909]

Hi ST

After a lot of thinking, I have decided to apply to the CNHC. After all it's £30, representing one treatment for me to earn and of course tax deductable!

One confusing thing which a massage & aromatherapy colleague asked me yesterday? The CNHC and CThA websites mentions massage and nutritional therapy only at the moment, but on the application form there is an aromatherapy box to tick.

Best Wishes

RP

 

[Urbano S]

Hi Binah

I did read it but these "quackbusters" are just narrow minded individuals that if you put concrete evidence right in their face, they wouldn't bother reading it. I wouldn't worry yer little cotton socks over it - even the dinosaurs finally died out.

In defence of the"quackbusters" of the world, there are some silly stuff out there, like Hopi ear candles sucking out earwax and reflexology steeringwheel covers.

Best Wishes

RP

 

[wuttup]

Hi RP, I dont know 100%, but I think aroma is almost ready to sign up.