Self-regulation for complementary healthcare

So how can the public distinguish between a well trained practitioner and people who have only taken a short course?  And how can good practitioners, who may have years of training, avoid getting a bad reputation by association?
 
The answer is that until very recently it has been difficult.  In our patient guide we suggest a series of questions that the public should ask before going to see a complementary healthcare practitioner.  But with the formation of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council  it will gradually become easier for the public to check out their practitioner in a growing number of professions.

What’s the difference between a representative body and a regulatory body? – and why  should we care?
 
There are already many representative bodies for complementary healthcare, but they are very fragmented.  Dozens of organisations may represent a single therapy.  If a practitioner is removed from one representative group register, there is little to stop him from joining another.  

In any case, the end purpose of representative groups is to support the profession rather than to protect the public.  That’s why we need to have regulatory bodies in place whose primary function is to safeguard the interests of patients and deal with complaints. You can compare the difference between regulatory and professional bodies (26 kb)  here.
 
A regulatory body grants entry to its register once a practitioner can prove they are safe and fit to practise.  The standards include completing a recognised course, participating in continual professional development (CPD), having current insurance and signing up to a code of conduct, ethics and disciplinary procedures.

As the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council register grows, patients will able to check out their therapist before starting treatment. 

Helping complementary healthcare professions to self-regulate
 
There is already statutory regulation in place for osteopathy and chiropractic.  This means that these titles are protected by law, and only people qualified with the  regulatory bodies are allowed to practice.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine are currently undergoing proposals for statutory regulation.  Since 2005 FIH has been working with government and a dozen other complementary healthcare practitioners to help them establish self-regulatory frameworks for their professions. These are Alexander Technique, aromatherapy, Bowen technique, cranial therapy, homeopathy, massage, naturopathy, nutritional therapy, yoga therapy, reflexology, reiki and shiatsu. 

The need for a 'federal' regulator

With so many different complementary approaches, there’s still a chance that the public would be confused by a mass of regulators.  So after a consultation in 2006, we began facilitating the development of a federal regulator.

Since many involved in complementary healthcare practice more than one discipline - for instance aromatherapy with massage - it would help the public to have a 'one stop shop' for checking out their practitioner, rather than approaching several different bodies.  In the event of a problem, a patient could feel confident that a federal regulator would deal succinctly with a complaint that may span different approaches rather than the individual having to contact different regulators.
 
In January 2007 a working group was established to develop and set up a federal regulator for complementary healthcare professions. A majority of those currently involved in the FIH regulation programme are also involved in the development of the federal regulator which has now launched.  The CNHCs register is opening to practitioners a profession at a time - check their website for the latest developments.