New laws to regulate Reflexology & alternative medicine in UK

Complementary therapies are set to be regulated in the UK for the first time from April 2008.

A new voluntary self-regulation body will be able to strike off incompetent practitioners and set minimum standards of qualification for therapists.

Patients who are treated by a registered practitioner will be able to complain to the Natural Healthcare Council if they believe their treatment has been sub-standard or boundaries breached.

Among the practices to be covered will be aromatherapy, reflexology, massage, nutrition, shiatzu, reiki, yoga, homoeopathy, cranial osteopathy and the Alexander and Bowen techniques.

Although the council will be independent it has been set-up by the Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health and will be funded by the Department of Health. It is being modelled on the General Medical Council and will follow Government guidelines for self-regulatory bodies.

Although the council will be able to strike practitioners from the register there is nothing to stop them continuing to give treatments.

Natasha Finlayson, from the foundation, said: "We have been working towards this for many years and are absolutely delighted that the work has come to fruition.

"One in five people use complimentary therapies so they need to be confident of the healthcare they receive.

"The body is being set-up along the most robust guidelines and will be the gold standard of complementary therapy.

Only mainstream alternative therapies such as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture are to be the subject of statutory regulation. Osteopathy and chiropractors are already legislated in this way.
Source: Daily Mail January 7th, 2008