Our regulation programme 2008 - 10

However, for the next 12 months the FIH will continue to work with six of the healthcare professions that are already part of the regulation programme and for the next two years with three more professions whose members are interested in moving towards self-regulation. 

As before the emphasis is on setting a standard so that practitioners of these therapies are safe and competent.  Self-regulation does not imply that an approach has been proved to work for particular conditions. It will mean that members of the public are safe from dangerous practices and exaggerated claims.  

Auricular/microsystems acupuncture 

There is a form of acupuncture that covers just one part of the body - often the ear (auricular) or perhaps a hand or foot. Practitioners of this form of acupuncture do not need the 3 year-long honours courses undertaken by practitioners of full body acupuncture.  Because their training is less in-depth, they will not be statutorily regulated along with other acupuncturists and they are therefore hoping to self-regulate as a separate profession.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapists are not included in the statutory regulation of psychotherapists and counsellors. 

UK Healers

There are an enormous number of bodies involved in spiritual healing in the UK.  Many will be tiny groups serving a small area, others will be training bodies or professional bodies like the National Federation of Spiritual Healers. 

Historically, many healers have been opposed to earning money from their work, seeing healing as an extension of their religious beliefs, or as a gift given freely.  However some people do now receive money for healing and hence the practice has become partly professionalised.  

Healers may often have contact with particularly vulnerable people.  Many working in the area are keen to set a standard to exclude exploitation. The umbrella group UK Healers has already established training standards and a code of practice. 

UK Healers won't become a formal part of our regulation programme.  This means that they won't appoint a Lay Chair or receive a small grant from us.  However the FIH will maintain a close relationship with the Healers for the duration of the regulation process.  It is likely that the mechanisms for self-regulation developed by the group will form the basis on which professional healers will be registered with the CNHC.

These are likely to be the last of the healthcare professions that we help towards voluntary self-regulation.  By 2010, the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council should be a strong, developed body that will deal directly with any subsequent requests for regulation.