Holistic Therapies gaining more recognition

Patients, service users and the public will be able to choose a complementary healthcare therapist belonging to a register vetted and approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) 

The Federation of Holistic Therapists’ voluntary register, of which I am a member, has been accredited under a new scheme set up by the Department of Health and administered by an independent body, accountable to Parliament.

Complementary therapists on the FHT Complementary Healthcare Therapist Register will be able to display the Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) quality mark, a sign that they belong to a register that meets the Professional Standards Authority’s robust standards.

Harry Cayton, Chief Executive of the Professional Standards Authority, said: ‘We are very pleased to accredit the FHT’s register of complementary healthcare therapists. Bringing complementary healthcare therapists into a broad framework of assurance is good for patients, service users and the public and is the best way to promote quality. The scheme offers enhanced consumer protection to anyone looking for health and social care services, and gives practitioners the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment.’

I am very proud to belong to the FHT’s accredited voluntary register. It demonstrates that the FHT meets the demanding standards of the Professional Standards Authority and offers reassurance to those seeking help and support from a complementary healthcare therapist, alongside their conventional care.

I am also pleased to let you know that Bupa has just advised the FHT that practitioners registered with an AVR, such as myself, will be reimbursed when providing approved treatments for a Bupa Cashplan policy holder. Bupa Cashplan has a number of policy products that offer complementary therapy to policyholders including  reflexology. If you are a BUPA member I would recommend you check your policy to see if you could be reimbursed for reflexology treatments. This is a very new development and I will advise you of more details when they become available to me.