I was on the sofa at BBC Breakfast this morning discussing the merits of a new register designed to help protect the public from ‘cowboy’ complementary alternative therapists. Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) has been set up to offer a degree of regulation on therapists ( not the therapies ) which is a huge step in maintaining and improving standards throughout the sector.
A register has been opened today, and the first people invited to place apply for inclusion are nutritional therapists and masseurs. Next month and onwards other doctrines will be invited to apply for registration ( ranging from Reiki to aromatherapy ). The co-chair of the CHNC, Maggie Dunn, was on the sofa at 06.40 ( see it here at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7828593.stm ) and then I was on with the lovely Dr Rosemary Leonard and 07.40 ( no link to that available ). I should start off by saying that I am delighted to see a register in place. It’s important to understand that the CNHC register is there to register the therapists and not to endorse or regulate the therapies. Therefore some of the therapies that people on the register undertake may not be quite as factual/evidence based as others. For example, I believe that it is widely accepted that what we eat affects our health. The Department of Health’s Chage 4Life campaign is centered around diet and exercise, as well as the 5 a day drive to get us all eating plenty of fresh produce.
The CNHC register will be opened to doctrines that are not as widely known, nor as generally accepted. For example, Reiki ( see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki for an explanation ) is a ‘spiritual practice’ that uses ‘healing energy’. Bear in mind that the register is there to ensure that the therapist is insured, appropriately trained and runs a professional practice, not to say whether Reiki ‘works’, yet the inclusion of some doctrines surely implies that they do have efficacy? It is not for me to say what works and what doesn’t, but I simply don’t understand how some complementary therapies can work. That’s not to say that we can’t enjoy them, or that the process isn’t beneficial, but how much of the experience is down to the actual treatment, or the overall experience? For example, aromatherapy is a very pleasant treatment, but is it the relaxation involved and the ‘me time’ that is the main source of the benefit or is it the smell of the oils?
The new register does allow therapists to demonstrate that they are appropriately qualified, insured and run a proper practice, which is a huge step forward.
Meanwhile, I am going to be at Wholefoods in Kensington High Street, London, W8 between 6 and 7 pm this Wednesday 21st January talking about ‘Healthy Weight Management’. Please come along, you can book by calling 020 7368 4541, ask for the Q Desk. The talk is part of a Free Pampering Day which starts at 4 and goes through until 7.30pm. We will have a team from The Food Doctor offering tastings on our foods, including the new Easy Grains. I will be around too, so please say hello and come to the talk at 6 ( upstairs on the first floor ).
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, Ian Marber, Wholefoods |
The Food Doctor Blog 
What does it mean to be “appropriately qualified” and “appropriately trained” in something that does not work? Isn’t your ‘training’ going to be completely arbitrary? Take reiki? Does it matter how you wave your hands around if the energy you are supposed to be channelling is non-existent?
Surely, the danger here is that the CNHC and the government will be legitimising that training in bogus therapies. The risk to the patient is that the ‘healer’ will feel endorsed and fall deeper into their delusion. Is this what we want to achieve?
I agree, regsistration does suggest a degree of validation and some of the therapies simply cannot work.
However, there has to be some sort of regulation and this is a first step.