The FHT Accredited Voluntary Register + Private Health Care Coverage

CONSUMER PROTECTION:

I am listed on The FHT Complementary Healthcare Therapist Register. This has recently been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), a body accountable to Parliament, under its Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) scheme.

The AVR quality mark gives extra peace of mind for anyone looking for a practitioner, letting them know that anyone who holds the mark is committed to the high standards of the organisation holding an Accredited Voluntary Register. 

For the FHT this means you can rest assured of the highest standards in the areas of education and training, ethical and professional conduct, governance, skill, competency and public safety. You may click through to the register and search for my name to verify I am on it, or to read more about this. 

There are also some good information pages for the public including:

What makes a good therapist?
What is complementary healthcare?
Which therapy?
For information on research and evidence on complementary healthcare therapies

PRIVATE HEALTHCARE COVERAGE

As a result of this recent accreditation, Bupa Cashplan policy holders may now be able to be reimbursed for Holistyx Reflexology treatments. It has also come to my attention that you may be able to be reimbursed for Reflexology from Health Shield, LAYA Healthcare, Paycare, UK Healthcare and Westfield Health.You may be able to be reimbursed for Indian head massage from Health Sheild or Westfield Health.

Insurance policies may vary, please confirm eligibility with your insurance provider before treatment, I am happy to provide information e.g. about my qualifications if required.

Bupa http://www.bupa.co.uk/
Health Shield http://www.healthshield.co.uk/
Laya Healthcare http://www.layahealthcare.ie
Paycare http://www.paycare.org/
UK Healthcare http://www.ukhealthcare.org.uk
Westfield Health http://www.westfieldhealth.com/

Federation of Holistic Therapists Membership

FHT = The Federation of Holistic Therapists - the largest and leading professional association for complementary, holistic beauty and sports therapists in the UK and Ireland.

What does it mean that I am a member of the FHT?

Choosing an FHT member means you can relax in the knowledge that you are in the hands of a highly qualified therapist, fully insured and practicing to recognised standards, including that all marketing material is legal, decent, honest, truthful and not misleading; that the therapist is undertaking regular Continuing Professional Development; and adhering to a Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.

Massage, Aromatherapy and Reflexology are all self-regulating industries in the UK. The government does not set any standards, anyone can legally practice them. Various independent bodies exist however regulate these industries and to reassure the public of the standard of practitioners registered with them.

If you see a therapist has letters after their name, it may denote a qualification - or membership of a professional association. You may wish to check with the association that that person is indeed registered with them - I have a direct link to the FHT website on my sidebar where you can check my membership is listed with other members in this area. Some other professional associations which can reassure you about a therapist registered with them are:

• The International Federation for Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA)
• The International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA)
• Association of Beauty Therapists (ABT)
• The Association of Reflexologists (AOR)
• The British Reflexology Association (BRA) 
• Complementary Therapists Association (CThA)
• The British Complementary Medicine Association (BCMA)
• The Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)