Update on the Bowen Forum – September 2005

Since the last update, in June 2005, there have been a few major developments to report:

• We were delighted to hear that Bowen has been chosen by the Prince of Wales’s Foundation for Integrated Health (POWFIH) as one of eleven therapies to be included in its Regulation Programme for the period 2005-2008. The Forum has been awarded a grant of £4,545 for the first year.
• The working party that is going to be drafting National Occupational Standards for Bowen has been selected, and will start to meet in October. After five months there will be a draft document which will be available for all our members to comment on.
• POWFIH held a conference on 12 September, on the future of Voluntary Self Regulation, which was very informative, and well attended by all the eleven therapy groups. Regulation of Healthcare is a big issue at the moment, with Sir Andrew Foster's Review of Non-Medical Professional Regulation and the Chief Medical Officer's Review of Revalidation and the GMC expected to be available in December. POWFIH has commissioned its own report on the Regulation of Complementary Healthcare, which should be published in the next few weeks and will be available on their website (www.fihealth.org.uk).

The Bowen Forum will be holding a discussion day and its first AGM on Saturday 26th November from 11am till 4pm, at Hatton Village Hall in Warwickshire (3 miles from Warwick station, and easily accessible from the M40, M42 and M6). Please see the flier that was enclosed with your recent newsletter. This will be an excellent opportunity to find out what regulation will mean for Bowen therapists, and will provide a chance for anyone to influence the process and to voice their hopes and fears. Jenny Gordon, the Forum’s independent chair, and Jean Nestor from POWFIH will each give an introductory talk, and it would be good to have as many practitioners attending as possible. There is no charge for attendance, but please let us know if you are able to join us by e-mailing angela.power@ntlworld.com.

The representatives of the Member Associations on the Bowen Forum are:

Secretary: Angela Power (BPA)

Treasurer: Peter Briant (BAUK)

Other Committee Members:

Janet Barry (BTER)

Karanne Rance (BAUK)

Independent Chair: Jenny Gordon