Below are some frequently asked questions plus answers which relate to The Society’s announcement that it is to apply to the Health Professions Council for statutory regulation for homeopaths.
If you have a question that does not appear here, please contact us on <info@homeopathy-soh.org> or 0845 450 6611.
A. Statutory regulation exists to protect the public against the risk of poor practice. It works by setting agreed standards of practice and competence by registering those who are competent to practise and restricting the use of specified (protected) titles to those who are registered.
Sanctions may be applied to statutory registered practitioners, such as removing them from the register if their fitness to practise is impaired.
A. The Society is the lead body for homeopaths and a survey of our members in 2006 showed that 65 per cent supported statutory regulation.
Currently, 65 per cent of registered homeopaths are members of The Society, which has long been committed to the highest standards for homeopathy, having run a voluntary regulatory system for the last 30 years and a course recognition process for the last 15 years. Further, it was the first homeopathy organisation to institute a Code of Ethics & Practice.
The move to statutory regulation is therefore seen as a logical progression for both The Society and the profession, most importantly to offer protection to the public as, under existing laws, someone without training could practise as a homeopath.
A. Statutory regulation is an independent and more robust form of regulation than the voluntary system already run by The Society and is therefore potentially a better means of protecting the public. The Society believes that a statutory system is necessary to protect the public from poor practice.
The application coincides with the tenth anniversary of the House of Lords’ Select Committee on Science & Technology report into Complementary & Alternative Medicine (session 1999-2000), which categorised homeopathy as a ‘Group One’ therapy along with acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine and osteopathy.
Of the five, homeopathy is the only profession not yet in the statutory regulation process although the report acknowledged that “Under The Society of Homeopaths, the non-medical homeopaths have organised themselves well and their professional organisation should mean the transition to statutory regulation does not present too great an upheaval(1)”
A. On their website (www.hpc-uk.org), the Health Professions Council (HPC) explains:
“We are a regulator, and we were set up to protect the public. To do this, we keep a register of health professionals who meet our standards for their training, professional skills, behaviour and health.
We currently regulate 14 health professions: Arts therapists, Biomedical scientists, Chiropodists/podiatrists, Clinical scientists, Dietitians, Occupational therapists, Operating department practitioners, Orthoptists, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Practitioner psychologists, Prosthetists/orthotists, Radiographers, Speech and language therapists.
All of these professions have at least one professional title that is protected by law, including those shown above. This means, for example, that anyone using the titles 'physiotherapist' or 'dietitian' must be registered with us.
It is a criminal offence for someone to claim that they are registered with us when they are not, or to use a protected title that they are not entitled to use. We will prosecute people who commit these crimes.”
A. The current annual fee (2009) for practitioner registration with the HPC is £76.
A. The HPC is governed by an equal proportion of health professionals and lay people. This means that, as far as regulation is concerned, the profession will not regulate itself. This is in the best interests of patients and a direction The Society supports.
A. The Society is in the initial stages of applying for regulation which will then be considered by the HPC Council.
There are no guarantees that homeopathy will be statutory regulated and the final decision rests with the government.
However, The Society of Homeopaths believes that statutory regulation for homeopaths is essential for the protection of the public.
A. Yes. The Society remains keen to involve all interested parties in the submission of its application to the HPC. A meeting for all stakeholders will be held in the Autumn to progress this further.
A. As a statutory registered homeopath, you will continue to practise homeopathy in much the same way you do now.
You would be regulated by the HPC along the same lines you are now as a Society registrant. The main difference will be that the HPC, as an independent body, will manage the regulatory functions of professional conduct, setting and maintaining education standards and CPD requirements.
The Society will continue to support you in practice as your membership body and will represent the best interests of the profession to the HPC.
A. The process of applying to the HPC is likely to take some considerable time so we recommend that you join The Society's register in the meantime. The Society's current registration process offers an excellent introduction to the approach to CPD planning and review which is expected by the HPC.
A. The HPC has a very broad concept of CPD, recognising that individual practitioners have very different needs, depending on their particular situation. The HPC approach emphasises the importance of regular planning and review of CPD activity. As a membership organisation, The Society would offer a range of resources, including workshops, to support homeopaths in
undertaking their CPD.
A. As the largest professional association representing homeopaths, The Society offers an unrivalled range of membership benefits as well as a responsibility for the promotion and advancement of homeopathy to the public and policy makers at large.
The Health Professions Council (HPC) would simply be the regulator for homeopaths, with the role of ensuring that the public is protected from exposure to bad professional practice.
A. Please contact The Society of Homeopaths on 0845 450 6611 or <info@homeopathy-soh.org>
(1)
House of Lords Select Committee on Science & Technology, Session 1999-2000, p52
