UK Complementary Healthcare Regulator Opens Register To Reflexologists

Main Category: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Article Date: 26 Aug 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) opens its register on Monday 24th August 2009 to reflexology practitioners which means that members of the public will be able to choose their registered reflexologist in the knowledge that they meet national standards of conduct and competence.

Launched with government backing through the Department of Health who recently said, "if patients choose to use complementary or alternative therapy, the Government's advice is to choose a practitioner registered with a reputable voluntary registration body such as the CNHC", the register opened in January 2009. Members of the public who use complementary healthcare will for the first time be able to verify that their reflexologist is registered with the first UK wide regulator.

The voluntary register will open over the course of this year to a wide range of complementary and natural healthcare practitioners. Reflexology is the fourth discipline for which the register has opened this year, joining massage therapy, nutritional therapy and aromatherapy.

By registering with the CNHC, reflexology practitioners will be seen as meeting the 'gold standard' within their field and will be entitled to display the quality mark which is given to practitioners upon registration.

Maggie Dunn, CEO of the CNHC explained: "We are delighted that CNHC is today opening its register to reflexology practitioners. Members of the public who use or are interested in using reflexology will be able to check whether the practitioner they're seeing is registered with the CNHC."

Continues Maggie, "Public safety is paramount and it is vital that practitioners meet the CNHC minimum standards of qualification and/or experience and in addition, they are signed up to a rigorous code of conduct. Not only will people looking for a reflexologist have peace of mind but practitioners too will benefit through increased public confidence"

Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hands using a variety of hand techniques. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands. Reflexology practitioners believe that such work may bring about a physical change to the body, or improve general health.

Throughout the rest of 2009, the Register will be opened to further disciplines, as they become ready and wish to register, and include: Yoga therapy, Shiatsu, Alexander technique, Bowen technique, Cranial therapy, Naturopathy and Reiki.

For further information about registration, visit http://www.cnhc.org.uk

Notes

The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) was established as a voluntary register in April 2008 with the purpose of protecting the public by means of a voluntary register for complementary and natural healthcare practitioners.

The CNHC's function is:

To establish and maintain a voluntary register of complementary healthcare practitioners in the UK who meet its standards of competence and practice
To make the Register of practitioners available to the general public and to educate them about the CNHC quality mark as a quality standard
To operate a robust process for handling complaints about registered practitioners
To work with professional bodies in the complementary healthcare field to further develop and improve standards of professional practice
The Register has been launched with government backing through the Department of Health.

Source
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council