British Complementary Therapies Council

BCTC update

The BCTC as many of you will know was launched towards the end of last year and the good news is that the interim council has consolidated the final details for enabling the register to be opened. Practitioners who wish to apply for registration will be able to do so from

1st MAY 2009

Final details and forms will be on this website by that date and those who have already made provisional enquiries will receive priority consideration.

The British Complementary Therapies Council (BCTC) has achieved all its objectives which includes specifying that registrants (you, the practitioner) have a voice on its council. This will ensure that only relevant and common sense decisions are made concerning how best to protect the public whilst they enjoy the benefit of complementary care. 

Other unique benefits are: 

a) Although thorough and comprehensive ALL documentation is in plain English to ensure EVERYBODY understands what they are reading and what is required of them. 

b) The structure of the council and its necessary committees is simple, minimal and as economical as possible without bureaucracy. 

c) The BCTC, conceived by the long established BCMA and developed by dedicated complementary practitioners, is a totally voluntary council (other than the administration) that is targeted to provide safe, reliable complementary care in support of the House of Lords recommendations, approved and supported by government. Honesty and openness are paramount in all we do. Its purpose is to bring the many benefits of complementary medicine to everybody in the UK as part of the nations healthcare philosophy.

ENCOURAGING COOPERATION IN VSR

Up until now there has been major concerns that the creation of alternative voluntary self regulation councils would stimulate a process of competition and negative attitudes that could only offset the potential value that such regulation has to offer not only as public protection for which it is primarily intended, but also a realisation within the medical  and political community that complementary therapy practitioners are trained and regulated to a level that enables combined conventional and complementary treatments to be offered for the welfare of all.

These concerns still exist but the British Complementary Therapies Council (BCTC) created by the BCMA and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)  have developed a working agreement that recognises the value and importance of each other. There is a clear opportunity for the differing philosophies between them to meet the needs of a contrasting range of therapies and as part of that understanding the BCTC and CNHC will liaise to ensure, for example, that any registrant who, for whatever adverse reason, is removed from their register will be made known to the other council to prevent ‘register hopping’.  The BCMA, are delighted that such a major step has been realised in creating an honest and straightforward working environment that can only be good news for the future of CAM.

THE BRITISH COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES COUNCIL LAUNCHES ITS VOLUNTARY SELF REGULATION BODY

AT THE CAM EXPO SHOW

The Expo Exhibition at Earls Court October 2008 was a great success and the launch of the BCTC was well received with a healthy number of enquiries following the talk given by the BCMA Chairman Terry Cullen. The interest comes from the fact that the BCTC has been designed to give practitioners the opportunity of joining a VSR Council that supports the requirements of the House of Lords recommendations but at the same time ensures that the regulatory process is easily understood, that the benefits of applying for approval and then registration are meaningful and the whole process is affordable at £25/yr regardless of the number of therapies you register if the criteria set by the council is met. A continual flow of practitioners learning more over the two days is a fair indicator that the BCTC is what you are looking for to assure your future. 

PRESS RELEASE OCT 2008

THE BRITISH COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES COUNCIL LAUNCHES ITS VOLUNTARY SELF REGULATION BODY

AT THE CAM EXPO SHOW

CAM  Expo Show 

October 25 and 26 2008

British Complementary Therapies Council

Stand No 2115……………..

The British Complementary Medicine Association (BCMA) will be launching its new independent council at the CAM Expo Show which will be known as The British Complementary Therapy Council for Voluntary Self Regulation.

The new Council follows several years of research and commitment by a working team to establish the right way forward for initially 18 different approved therapies.

Terry Cullen, chairman of the BCMA said:  “We wanted to be able to develop an independent council that would consist of a representative from each registered therapy as well as public representation with lay members.

“We have set standards which are written in plain English that therapists can understand immediately and will therefore rapidly appreciate the benefits of registering for self regulation.

“The public expects to be protected with professional, well-regulated standards.  It is important that practitioners have the opportunity to participate and voice their opinions on how voluntary self-regulation is achieved and sustained,” Mr Cullen added.

Membership benefits include recognised professional commitment to public protection; practitioner confirmation of registration via the Council’s office and website and regular reports from the VSR Council on key issues and government legislation as well as use of the BCTC name and logo on registrants stationery and website.

Anyone wishing to find out more can visit the stand at the exhibition; call the Council’s office on 0845 345 5977 or visit the website www.bctcvsr.org.uk.

Ends