VSR ... the Background
Next Steps
A consultation process followed whereby 12 individual therapies were invited to particpate by the Prince of Wales Foundation for Integrated Health (funded by the Kings Fund). The purpose: to create individual national registers of therapists for each therapy. This consultation process was later adapted and consolidated into a single regulatory body: the CNHC.
However, the BCMA and its member therapy associations were concerned that independent professional therapy associations, often specializing in a single therapy, were not being considered or included in this VSR process. So, in 2007, they decided to establish a simpler, yet equally robust process, for developing a VSR Council for therapies excluded from the initial FIH/CNHC process.
Without any government funding, but great enthusiasm and dedication, a working party of therapy representatives, working independently of the BCMA, has formed the British Complementary Therapies Council achieving its aim of opening a national register for particpating member therapies in 2009.
Where We Are Now...
With a much simpler and smaller organization, and without any govenment funding, the BCTC has achieved its purpose of establishing a VSR Council.
What makes the BCTC attractive to its members is that it offers ALL participating therapies a seat on its Council and a vote on all Council decisions.
In this way, the BCTC is able to offer member therapies the opportunity to develop and maintain robust professional standards whilst preserving the principles of a truly holistic approach to complementary therapy.