The Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)

The UK voluntary regulator for complementary healthcare

practitioners

The CNHC’s role

The CNHC’s key function is to act in the public interest by

– setting standards for entry to and retention on the register

– requiring compliance with its Code of Conduct, Performance and Ethics

– investigating complaints about alleged breaches of the Code

– when necessary, imposing sanctions or removing individuals from the register

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How was CNHC set up?

• House of Lord’s Select Committee on Science and Technology 6th Report on CAM (HoL 2000)

• 2008 – CNHC set up as the independent federal regulator with government funding and support

• 2009 January – CNHC register opens

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CNHC’s entry standards

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 In order to be eligible to be admitted to the CNHC Register, a complementary therapist must:

– Have undertaken a programme of education and training which meets, as a minimum, the National Occupational Standards and the core curriculum for the complementary therapy/discipline concerned

or– Have achieved competency to the level of the National 

Occupational Standards for the complementary therapy/discipline concerned by means of relevant experience of at least three years and relevant training and been assessed as having met those standards

CNHC’s entry standards continued

Practitioners must also– Have confirmed that they do not hold a criminal record 

(including cautions), or notified CNHC of any such record for consideration by the Registrar prior to acceptance

– Have confirmed that there are no health issues that have an impact on their ability to practise 

– Have confirmed that they have not been the subject of any disciplinary or civil proceedings against them in relation to their practice or have notified CNHC of any such proceedings for consideration by the Registrar prior to acceptance 

– Hold current professional indemnity insurance 

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CNHC’s code and policies

All registrants agree to abide by: • The CNHC Code of Conduct, Performance and Ethics• CNHC's Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Policy • CNHC's Data Protection Policy • Terms of use of the CNHC website

Full details can be found on www.cnhc.org.uk under ‘How to Register’ / 'Criteria for Entry to the Register’

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Who is regulated?• Practitioners of:

– Aromatherapy– Alexander Technique– Bowen Therapy– Craniosacral Therapy– Healing– Hypnotherapy– Massage Therapy– Microsystems Acupuncture– Naturopathy– Nutritional Therapy– Reflexology– Reiki– Shiatsu– Sports Therapy– Yoga Therapy

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The CNHC quality mark

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What else does CNHC do?

• Provides a resource for the public – (1 in 5 thought to use complementary medicine)

• Acts as a conduit to profession specific sources

• Acts as a contact point for government, education, employers, commissioners, statutory bodies and others

• Be consulted on / speak on generic complementary therapy issues on behalf of the sector (eg advertising)

• Monitors and contributes to the on-going regulation debate

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A key objective for 2013Achieve accreditation with the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care (PSA) (formerly Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence or CHRE)

– PSA now sets the standards for ‘accredited voluntary registers’(AVRs)

– CNHC is applying to be accredited

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How we can assist EAPs and employers

• Guarantee of standards - we check so you don’t have to!

• Assist with recruitment – we can include recruitment notices for CNHC registered practitioners on our website at no cost to the employer.

• Provide accountability – we are independent and can investigate complaints made against registrants.

• Work in partnership - we seek to build relationships and partnerships wherever we can in the public interest.

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• “CNHC registration is essential for any complementary practitioners who wish to work for us”. – Jan Wilkinson, Complementary Therapies Co-ordinator, Guys and St 

Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust

• "Complementary therapies can help people to manage their mental health but it is vital that therapists are appropriately trained and regulated. Mind supports and promotes CNHC registration and the CNHC quality mark to help people find a therapist they can trust.”– Beth Murphy, Head of Information, Mind 

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Contact us

www.cnhc.org.uk

020 3178 2199

info@cnhc.org.uk

83 Victoria Street

London

SW1H 0HW13