British Complementary Therapies Council

Anna McLaren from the Association for Classical Manipulation reports:

2011-11-25T17:30:00.000-08:00

Manipulating feet

"The BCTC Continuing Professional Development requirements are a great way to encourage members to increase their knowledge and update their skills (and maybe have some fun at the same time).

For the last couple of years the ACM has run a series of CPD events for its members. They provide an opportunity for everyone to get together, share experiences and have a good natter, as well as learning new skills, which is really important for a widely dispersed group such as ours.

The highlight of this year has been a weekend workshop on Podiatric Mobilisations by podiatrist Ian Linane. Classical Manipulation is a whole-body treatment which recognises the importance of the feet and ankles in maintaining structural integrity throughout the body. Ian’s approach fitted perfectly with our own philosophy. His teaching took our ability to treat the feet to a whole new level and we came away with a set of techniques that fit easily into our existing way of working.

After learning any new technique I am always eager to have a go and see what it can do and I was provided with the perfect opportunity just a few days after the workshop when one of my regular clients called me. This lady had just undergone knee replacement surgery. Whilst she was prepared for the pain and swelling in the knee joint itself, she was also concerned about the ankle on the same leg, which she felt hadn’t been functioning properly since the operation. She felt that the problem was impeding her ability to do the exercises prescribed by the physiotherapist and so hindering her recovery.

Armed with my new techniques, I felt confident in assessing and treating the issue. I discovered that a slight misalignment of the talus, possibly caused by the force used during the operation, was severely limiting her ability to flex her ankle.

After using Ian’s techniques to mobilise the talus and its surrounding joints, full mobility was restored to the lady’s ankle."

CHRE Announce...

2011-11-25T16:48:00.000-08:00

New Professional Standards Authority for VSR Register-holders

BCTC Council members attended 3 workshops held in August, September and October to participate in discussions hosted by the CHRE about a new accreditation scheme for Voluntary Registers in the UK.

The CHRE has been commissioned by the government to establish a Professional Standards Authority for health and social care professionals.

The purpose of the workshops was to conduct an extensive consultation process with existing voluntary register holders (open to all) to develop a quality assurance scheme for all voluntary registers in the UK. The CHRE recognizes the considerable time and effort already invested by organizations in developing professional standards and therefore has no interest in ‘re-inventing the wheel’.

Rather their intent has been to develop a robust system for quality assuring all voluntary registers through drawing on the expertise of those that already exist. The new scheme would serve two primary purposes: add value to existing voluntary registers by increasing accountability in the eyes of the public; enable those organizations to maintain their role in developing standards for registration, professional conduct and ethical competence and continue to promote quality standards of performance.

In presenting each workshop, Christine Braithwaite, Director of Policy and External Relations at the CHRE, emphasized the CHRE’s desire to exercise a ‘right-touch’ approach to regulation to promote quality standards of public safety whilst preserving the rights of practitioners and professionals to practice their chosen therapies.

There has been a spirit of co-operation and participation evident at all 3 workshops enabling significant progress to take place and the CHRE anticipates being able to open the accreditation scheme from July 2012.

The BCTC Council will be discussing what changes need to be implemented in our procedures as a voluntary regulator at the next meeting on 7^th December. If any registrants wish to attend the meeting, please contact sheilahill@bctcvsr.org.uk by December 5^th.

If you wish to read more about the CHRE’s proposed Professional Standards Authority (PSA), you can visit the CHRE website

BCTC AGM – 7th September 2011

2011-11-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

We held our second AGM at the Royal Festival Hall, South Bank and reviewed our progress to date. Despite our small number of registrants we are keenly interested in maintaining our register independently of the CNHC, which has benefitted from significant government funding.

We discussed pertinent issues such as promoting ourselves to smaller, single professional association therapies who are keen to raise standards within their therapy, despite the limited number of therapists currently practicing in the UK.

We also discussed the subject of the new CHRE accreditation scheme for voluntary registers and agreed to continue participating in these workshops to keep informed of how the new regulatory body would take shape.

Complementary Therapy in the UK - Effective Regulation

2011-11-25T16:36:00.000-08:00

I have been watching with considerable interest the intrigue surrounding Regulation of Complementary Therapies over recent years and thought it timely to put pen to paper on the issue.

Now as a Practitioner, in my case Polarity Therapy (but quite honestly it really could be any therapy) I have been involved in teasing out how best to be regulated in a way that satisfies the authorities, whilst at the same time ensuring it is a light touch that I find doesn’t compromise my holistic sensibilities.

For a regulator to be effective and credible it must satisfy all camps:

be a bridge between the public and the therapist that focuses solely on issues of public safety. not venture into areas where it doesn’t need to, like therapeutic efficacy or accreditation of training courses
be politically neutral
provide a truly Voluntary and Self-Regulatory (VSR) process
the therapies it regulates must be involved to ensure their systems are not in any way compromised by the process of regulation

What I am interested in is an organisation that focuses on what it is intended to be – a system of Voluntary, Self Regulation (VSR)

For me to sign up to an organisation that places me on a public register; that will enable any member of the public to check my credentials I must be happy that I am not compromised as a therapist. I want assurances that the standards against which I operate and am being assessed:

are achievable, sensible and focus solely on issues relating to a client’s safety when in my care;
define how issues of safety are inherent within my treatment plan offered as well as in my conduct; and
do not hinder me practising my therapy.

These standards should not address issues of efficacy. I believe effectiveness is for the therapist, the therapy and its Professional Associations (PA) to address. This position I am glad to say is supported by Government.

A VSR Regulator need not involve itself in aspects of training in a specific therapy except on specific issues of public safety that can be identified and addressed. Again, there is no conflict here, it is simple and self-evident.

Issues of public safety are separated from issues of therapeutic value so the PA can focus on representing the interests of the therapist and therapy and helps promote what makes its therapy “Exclusive”.

In addition to the points above, I want a regulator to operate at an appropriate level, avoiding unnecessary intrusion by acting firstly as an influencer and secondly an enforcer.

Ideally, I would like to see a PA being recognised as taking responsibility for its members in its level of organisation, such that any VSR Regulator can confidently delegate many of the administrative tasks to a “trusted” PA.

What would VSR mean to you and your PA?

Your PA can introduce a streamlined process for providing a regulator with confirmation that your personal and professional details (proof of ID, qualifications, current insurance) are current and correct.
Your PA can provide a regulator with a ‘group’ declaration, confirming their validity on your behalf;
Your PA demonstrates its commitment to VSR by demonstrating to the regulator its willingness to introduce and operate such a system.
In this way, your PA can play an integral part in VSR whilst ensuring the VSR Regulator remains at arm’s length and most importantly keeps your membership and administration fees to a minimum.

If a VSR Regulator could involve the PA of my therapy in the manner mentioned above I would be content that that VSR Regulator is achieving its remit through appropriate and relevant delegation.

I believe the British Complementary Therapies Council for Voluntary Self Regulation (BCTC) satisfies all of these criteria.

Don’t take my word for it, check it out at www.bctcvsr.org.uk

If you don’t want restrictive regulation imposed on your therapy, and are dedicated to keeping your therapy free from burgeoning bureaucracy then I recommend taking a closer look at the BCTC and forward this article to your PA executive for serious consideration.

Your future and the future of your therapy are in your hands.

Andrew Harry, UK Polarity Therapy Association