Vision Statement: Homeopathy for All
Mission statement:
Continue to maintain and develop The Society's web site and include more business advice for members.
Continue to promote free student membership during 2009 and ensure that students remain a priority target group, with good service throughout the year.
Continue to promote greater understanding of the benefits of insurance with The Society, including help lines, support with a tax investigation, claims occurrence policy, additional therapy cover, homes & business insurance etc. Make greater use of the web site and publications to do this.
Continue to offer a good range of Continuing Professional Development workshops throughout the UK.
Offer Continuing Professional Development workshops in Scotland and the Midlands.
Continue to develop the provision of information about clinical observation opportunities for student members.
Update the research section of the web site to ensure it is properly structured, easily accessible, kept up to date and fully referenced.
Work with other organisations to offer additional benefits to members.
Networking - encourage more networking for members by using e-bulletins to put them in touch with local groups when they join The Society.
Offer members flexibility to pay their fees by direct debit over 12 months instead of 10 months.
Offer the option of focused visits on a specific theme to teaching teams in place of general liaison visits.
Offer and clarify the potential benefits of 'institutional supervision' to courses.
Devise a marketing campaign for new clinic credit card system to membership via newsletter features, mailing of promotional material and email bulletin.
Free copy of 'Top Tips - how to be a successful practitioner' booklet to be given to all members at start of 2009.
Progress the establishment of an independent single register and regulatory body, whilst firmly establishing The Society as the lead membership body for homeopaths
Investigate options for the handover of The Society's regulatory functions by the end of 2009.
Contribute to the review and development of registration processes for the Single Register and Regulatory Body.
Ensure that there are appropriate transitional arrangements in place for both established RSHoms and newly Registered Members still in process.
Investigate options for the handover of accreditation function to a suitable body by the end of 2009.
Maintain representation on British Homeopathic Accreditation Board or whatever body emerges as the driver for the establishment of independent accreditation for homeopathy courses.
Ensure regular communication between The Society and the course providers regarding developments within accreditation.
Communicate the importance of membership with The Society alongside registration with the new regulatory body.
Support the establishment and continuation of proper and effective Professional Conduct processes in the new Single Register and Regulatory Body.
Continue to publicise the work of the research committee and the research ethics committee to The Society's membership as an important benefit, through publications, e-bulletins, conferences and the web site.
Ensure that courses are informed about and linked into Society initiatives for publicising homeopathy, eg Homeopathy Awareness Week.
Work alongside external bodies (profit and not for profit) to establish reciprocity and raise awareness about the value and benefits of homeopathy and The Society of Homeopaths.
Continue to develop and implement new initiatives to raise the profile of the organisation and homeopathy.
Continue to develop and maintain relationships with key media contacts.
Continue to implement crisis management protocol in The Society's reactive response to crisis public relation situations to ensure that the reputation of The Society is protected.
Run Homeopathy Awareness Week (HAW) in 2009, to enable members to raise the profile of both homeopathy and their own practices at local level.
Campaign for increased awareness and provision of homeopathy through the All Party Parliamentary Group on Complementary Health, European Council for Classical Homeopaths, Department of Health.
Keep up to date with relevant select committees and latest developments within the Department of Health, especially in relation to regulation, and respond to relevant consultations.
RSHom: Promote the fact that our members have agreed to abide by our Code of Ethics & Practice, eg through the RSHom postcard.
Promote The Society and its members and attract new members
Discontinue fee scales in favour of one fee for full registered members.
Reduce top-end fees from £508 to one fee of £399.
Reduce membership fees for those in their first year of registration to £199.
Maintain a fully working, consistent, accurate and integrated site, updated on a monthly basis as a minimum and reflective of all activity within The Society, in particular targeting the public and the media.
Offer a two day conference in Leicester and offer split payments to make it more affordable.
Ensure that the web site and publications are clear and up to date about registration and the latest developments within it.
Continue to run Continuing Professional Development 'taster sessions' in selected colleges as a means of signposting students to The Society and its Continuing Professional Development courses.
Annual review of the Individual Route scheme in order to ensure that it remains a workable and efficient system and that it is both welcoming and supportive to experienced practitioners.
Ensure that the web site is kept up to date with information about the Individual Route.
Market Continuing Professional Development to a wider audience within The Society and also to non-Society homeopaths.
Continue to improve the content and design of Continuing Professional Development leaflets.
Market free student membership, plus student discount rates negotiated with homeopathic suppliers for 2008.
Promote the supportive side of Professional Conduct to members and prospective members through publications and the internet.
Write regular articles for the Newsletter on all aspects of Professional Conduct for the membership.
Continue to review and revise The Society's registration procedures to ensure that we uphold the highest professional standards.
Work with Professional Standards Committee to represent The Society and homeopathy in the revision of the National Occupational Standards.
Continue communication with and provision of regular liaison support to course providers via the Totnes and Northampton offices; 'Leading Edge' newsletter and regular e-bulletins.
Continue to operate our recognition process as set out in the Education Policy, Application for Recognised Course Status (ARCS) 1, 2 and 3 or Accreditation Handbook.
Consult with course providers to review course length.
Consult with course providers to agree criteria for degree equivalence.
Continue to produce and promote on the web site an accurate and up-to-date list of recognised courses, incorporating courses recognised by British Homeopathic Accreditation Board as agreed.
Implement changes from the Professional Conduct Review following the outcome of a pilot.
Support Communications on an ongoing basis with up to date and accurate research information.
