FEDERAL WORKING GROUP

At the same time as the consultation in Summer 2006, the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health (PFIH) commissioned a feasibility study on the implementation of a federal system of regulation.   The study was published on 27 September 2006, and its authors came up with ten recommendations, set out in detail at the end of their report.

The feasibility study is available by clicking here.

In line with these recommendations, a working party was set up in January 2007, to explore two possible models for a federal body.  Therapies which meet certain criteria, or which are working to meet those criteria were invited to nominate one member (and one alternate) to serve on the working party. 

The therapies represented on the Federal Working Group were:

• Alexander Technique
• Aromatherapy Council
• Bowen Forum
• British Council Yoga Therapy
• Council of Organisations Registering Homeopaths
• Cranial Forum
• General Council Massage Therapists
• General Naturopathic Council
• Nutritional Therapy Council
• Reflexology Forum
• Reiki Regulatory Working Group
• Shiatsu Regulatory Working Group

The Bowen Forum was represented on the Federal Working Group by Janet Barry (BTER) with Peter Briant (BAUK) as alternate.  They were supported by representatives from the Forum’s Education and Training sub-group, including John Wilks (BTUK), Alastair Rattray (ECBS) and Lynden Lane (Lay member).

The working party began to meet on 30 January and the final meeting was on 18 December 2007. The group have agreed the structure of the proposed regulatory body, which will be called the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).  It is proposed that the CNHC will consist of a Federal Regulatory Council (FRC), supported by a number of Profession Specific Boards (PSBs).  These PSBs will have responsibility for setting profession specific standards, whereas the FRC will hold the register of practitioners, will set standards which are not profession specific, and provide a central administration. 

The proposed structure is set out in a Powerpoint presentation - click here.