The practice of hypnotherapy is not about to be restricted by any forthcoming changes to the law. Some people have mistakenly assumed otherwise because of various discussions taking place in relation to the future of psychotherapy in the UK. However, the Government have no plans, as far as we are aware, to impose new legislation or restrictions upon the profession of hypnotherapy.
For a number of years there has been discussion about proposed changes in legislation regarding Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy. The government sponsored a general review of the state of play with regards to mental health practitioners: the Foster Review. This was published in July, and appears to take these disciplines no further forward towards regulation. To quote the UKCP Press Release on the subject:
“The UKCP is understandably disappointed that the advice of the key professional bodies, that regulation of the talking therapies would best be achieved via a General Council of the Psychological Therapies, has been rejected. Such a Council, registering some 83,000 practitioners, would have been ideally placed to provide the regulatory regime best suited to those working in the field of mental ill health.
“Instead the government appears to have hedged its bets, making no firm decision on the regulatory body for psychotherapy and appearing instead to be waiting on events, possibly to see how the profession shapes up in its own move towards an enhanced system of voluntary self regulation.”
Even if the proposed GCPT had gone ahead, this would NOT have affected hypnotherapy. The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health have publicly stated that they want us to move towards voluntary self-regulation, which the NCH is doing in conjunction with UKCHO.
The NCH is proud to be a member organisation of UKCHO (United Kingdom Confederation of Hypnotherapy Organisations) http://www.ukcho.co.uk UKCHO is recognised by The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health as an umbrella body for the Hypnotherapy Profession in the United Kingdom, working towards formal regulation of the profession to ensure the protection of the public and encourage their confidence in the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes. UKCHO’s member organisations are required to observe standards of training which ensure that hypnotherapy practitioners are safe and competent to practice. They are also required to have strict codes of conduct and ethics, reinforced with disciplinary procedures. UKCHO’s aim is to remain at the forefront of establishing national occupational standards and a common curriculum for hypnotherapy training, as well as the implementation of effective national codes of conduct, ethics and discipline for the Hypnotherapy Profession.
All training schools that are accredited by the NCH are in a good position to be able to adhere to any structures and requirements when and if these are created.