Regulation of the Alexander Technique

Background

PAAT was involved in the Regulation of the Alexander Technique from the beginning in the 1990s when the European Union sought to inaugurate regulatory procedures in member States in the field of Natural and Complementary Health & Health Care. We participated in the informal discussions which were held across a two year period in the UK. In 2000 a report of the House of Lords Research Committee was published. After this the Foundation of Integrated Health (FIH) obtained a grant from the Department of Health to develop a Voluntary Regulatory framework for the sector.

Voluntary Regulation

PAAT has worked towards developing the highest possible standards for training and teaching the Alexander Technique since its founding in 1986. We have an ongoing programme for furthering our professional development with our teaching members expected to complete a minimum of 30 hours of CPD each year.
Being committed to the Voluntary Regulation of Alexander Technique Teaching, it is our policy that all teaching members of PAAT be registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).

Our Involvement

The CNHC register opened to Alexander Technique Teaching (AT Teaching) in 2010 and PAAT has been actively involved in the processes of Voluntary Regulation prior to and subsequent to this. Our Association has been a Verifying Organisation since the CNHC register opened to AT Teaching. It is also a founder member of the Alexander Technique Professional Associations’ Forum (ATPAF) which is the Professional Forum for the Alexander Technique.

The Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)

CNHC is the UK voluntary regulator for complementary healthcare practitioners that was set up with government support to protect the public by providing a UK voluntary register of complementary practitioners. CNHC’s register has been approved as an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. This means CNHC has met the Professional Standards Authority’s demanding standards. General Medical Council (GMC) guidance confirms that doctors are able to refer patients to practitioners on Accredited Registers.

All CNHC registered practitioners are entitled to use CNHC’s quality mark which demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and high standards. The public and those who commission the services of complementary healthcare practitioners can choose with confidence, by looking for the CNHC quality mark.

CNHC Registration

CNHC has agreed that PAAT may verify applications for CNHC registration and we encourage members to register in order to gain the CNHC quality mark. Members wishing to register should click here to download a ‘Request to register’ form.

To find out more about the CNHC email info@cnhc.org.uk, call 020 3327 2720, or visit www.cnhc.org.uk

Information for PAAT Members

Like many professions, Alexander teaching has been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The CNHC has issued the following guidelines to all its members.

Item 1

Dear Registrant

I am pleased to bring you some positive news in these challenging times.

As you know, CNHC’s register has been approved as an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), a body accountable to Parliament.

Following a suggestion by CNHC, the PSA has written to the UK, Scottish, Northern Ireland and Welsh Governments to bring attention to the contribution that practitioners on Accredited Registers can make during the Covid-19 emergency.

In essence, the PSA has pointed out that:

these practitioners form a key component of the wider public health workforce, with some of them (such as healthcare scientists) already recognised as key workers
using the services of all practitioners on Accredited Registers might help mitigate the adverse impact of isolation on the mental and physical wellbeing of the nation, and the Government might wish to consider recognising all of them as key workers.

We will keep you you updated on developments.

In the meantime, whether you are currently able to practice or not – please check our website for up to date advice and information to support you during the coronavirus pandemic. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@cnhc.org.uk

Yours sincerely

Margaret Coats
Chief Executive & Registrar

Item 2

Dear Registrant

Further to my email sent on 30 April, I am writing to update you on a response received to the letter sent by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) to the UK, Scottish, Northern Ireland and Welsh Governments.

The purpose of the letter was to bring attention to the contribution that practitioners on Accredited Registers can make during the COVID-19 emergency. In essence, the PSA pointed out that:these practitioners form a key component of the wider public health workforce. They suggested that using the services of all practitioners on Accredited Registers might help mitigate the adverse impact of isolation on the mental and physical wellbeing of the nation, and the Government might wish to consider recognising all of them as key workers.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has now responded. It thanked the PSA for its letter and suggested that professionals on Accredited Registers, who are not already employed by the NHS, and who wish to offer their valuable skills and experience to support the COVID-19 response, could apply via the NHS Rapid Response scheme.

This scheme is recruiting registered and unregistered healthcare workers, as well as a range of key roles in non-clinical areas, to help deliver essential patient care. Self-employed workers, who can evidence that they have worked as a company that has provided appropriate healthcare services, should be able to register to work PAYE via Rapid Response (subject to any required additional checks).

The DHSC also suggested that professionals could try contacting their local NHS employers or local councils directly to offer their services.

Reference was made to the availability of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the COVID-19 Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). There was no specific reference to the suggestion that practitioners on Accredited Registers should be categorised as key workers.

The Scottish, Northern Ireland and Welsh devolved administrations have not yet responded. I will continue to keep up you updated as and when further responses are received.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@cnhc.org.uk

Yours sincerely

Margaret Coats
Chief Executive & Registrar