- Aromatherapy
- Aromatherapy and Autism
- Clinical Aromatherapy in Cancer Care
- Professional Regulation update
- Article Guide
- Massage Therapy UK - Article publishing guide
- How to approach practicing massage on family and friends?
- How to study Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology?
- Ayurveda
- How to approach practicing massage on family and friends?
- Removing Toxins The Natural Way
- Chavutti Thirumal An Intoduction To A Unique Massage Therapy
- Bowen Technique
- Gentle Touch Produces Miracles
- How to approach practicing massage on family and friends?
- Business
- How are You?
- How to approach practicing massage on family and friends?
- On Site Massage & Complementary Therapy in the workplace
- Complementary Therapies
- What is sports massage?
- Gentle Touch Produces Miracles
- Thai Yoga Massage – An Ancient Therapy for a Modern World
- Education & Training
- How to study Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology?
- The different between NHS and CAM meaning of health
- Introduction to Massage Essentials for Health
- Fitness
- How to approach practicing massage on family and friends?
- So why have a Personal Trainer?
- The Importance of Sports Massage
- Health
- How to approach practicing massage on family and friends?
- On Site Massage & Complementary Therapy in the workplace
- The Magic Pill Within
- Health & Nutrition
- The different between NHS and CAM meaning of health
- How to approach practicing massage on family and friends?
- So why have a Personal Trainer?
- Massage
- Thai Yoga Massage – An Ancient Therapy for a Modern World
- The different between NHS and CAM meaning of health
- Benefits and effects of massage
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Regulation
04/05/2008 - By Carole Preen I am writing this article in my capacity as Secretary of the Aromatherapy Council (AC), the new Voluntary Self-Regulatory Body for the UK Aromatherapy Profession.
The Aromatherapy Council was launched on the 1st December 2006 after over 10 years of work by the professional associations to get a recognised regulatory body in place.
It took a lot of people a great deal of time, effort as well as money (your money), but at last we have it in place. Regulation exists to protect the public, but at the same time it gives the aromatherapy profession the credibility it has desired for so long. The Aromatherapy Council has been busy putting that into action and has received letters from NHS Strategic Health Authorities and the Department of Health stating that 'the Department is sure that Trusts will have confidence to use the services of aromatherapists now that they have achieved voluntary self-regulation'. We have written to all the Trusts individually and NHS Direct has added the AC to its database. BUPA's fact sheet will include the AC shortly and we have had lots of positive press in magazines and newspapers all giving the AC's contact details to find an aromatherapist. This is exactly what we had hoped for.
Criteria for Registration
The entry requirements are really straightforward. There is a fast track system for those people who are members of associations who check their membership against the National Occupational Standards and the AC's Core Curriculum and who also have had a mandatory CPD policy in place for many years. So members of associations such as the AAPA, AMA, ANM, APNT, BRCP (ICM), ESIPF, CThA (Embody), IHAF, IFA, IFPA, Raworth Guild of Graduates can all complete the condensed form from the AC's website at www.aromatherapycouncil.co.uk and be accepted immediately onto the regulatory register. Don't despair if your association is not listed, because you may have done a course that was benchmarked to the NOS and done annual CPD, but decided to join a different association.
You need to complete the full form and detail your training, but you will still be able to register. Even if your course was not at the NOS and you have not done any CPD, we still have procedures in place to help you register; and that may require a bridging course or some extra work, but it is worth it to have that professional status at the agreed national level and be recognised for it. The public and the NHS are being told to look for 'AC Registered' behind an aromatherapist's name so that they can have quality assurance.
To stay on the register, which is re-validated every year in October, you have to have insurance and do CPD. We also strongly recommend you remain registered with a professional association as they can offer cheap block insurance as well as marketing material, uniforms, journals, newsletters, conferences, represent you in the case of a complaint and of course offer CPD opportunities.
Since the launch of the Aromatherapy Council, I have been delighted to see just how many aromatherapists registering embrace their CPD. You never stop learning and this only serves to enhance your practice further and benefit your clients. On the other hand, I have also received emails and letters from therapists who say they do not have time to do CPD or say they cannot find any courses in their area and so it is too expensive to travel far and pay lots of money for courses. But I ask, if you undertake no learning at all, ever, from the day you qualify, how can you expect your business to grow if you do not keep abreast of all the latest developments in aromatherapy (and other therapies you practice)? We all really benefit from meeting other therapists and sharing experiences, as well as swapping treatments!
With all this in mind, the professional associations wrote a CPD Policy for the AC that would be easy for everyone to follow, taking into account people who live in rural areas of the country and those who may only work part time on low incomes
CPD Requirements
Aromatherapists need to complete 36 hours every 3 years. This is approximately 12 hours per year, although some can be carried over.
What constitutes CPD?
To have undertaken a full diploma course or degree programme that enhances your practice in another modality.
Attendance at a full-day conference or seminar that is aromatherapy specific.
Attendance at a day/weekend or short course/workshop that is aromatherapy specific or enhances your work as an aromatherapist (e.g., Aromatherapy for Carers, or Aromatherapy & Palliative Care), or introduces a modality that you can incorporate into the use of essential oils.
Attendance at a lecture at one of the numerous health shows/expos.
Attendance at a day/weekend or short course/workshop that enhances your aromatherapy or massage skills.
Attendance at a course/workshop that enhances your skills in business practice, IT or therapeutic relationships
Attendance at a course/workshop that teaches you how to build a portfolio and/or how to carry out reflective practice, referencing and critical analysis.
Attendance at local therapy groups/clubs where you are sharing experiences with other aromatherapists (attendance certificates can be given) or possibly mentoring an aromatherapist who has problems with a client/patient (which must be accompanied by a reflective practice essay).
Attendance on a guided tour either in the UK or abroad which involves the study of aromatic plants (e.g., a trip to lavender fields or Kew Gardens / Eden project).
Aromatherapy specific research undertaken where results are published.
Articles written on aromatherapy for journals and magazines. These should be referenced and contain a bibliography.
Where you have written an aromatherapy book or published a review of an aromatherapy book
Where you have written an aromatherapy course, learning aids, one-day workshop or a lecture/presentation on aromatherapy using research resources.
Reading/researching from books/journals/internet and writing up a reflective practice essay of around 500 words to show how you have integrated that learning into your practice.
Attending meetings as part of your association's council or attendance of meetings on behalf of your association at working parties/forums. You will need to write up a report to go on file in your portfolio.
Assisting in the organisation of one of the aromatherapy conferences. This can be evidenced by the chairman of your association or organiser of the conference and they can sign an evidence sheet for you.
Receiving supervision in the workplace by a peer who writes out a formal assessment to put in your portfolio.
Supervising an aromatherapy student carrying out clinical placement as part of their course. You would need to write a reflective practice essay on how this affected your practice at that time.
Giving taster aromatherapy treatments at local events/open days or local care groups accompanied by a reflective practice essay of around 500 words.
Offering free sessions to local groups with specific special needs and or disabilities to enhance your experiences in these areas and accompanied by a reflective practice essay of around 500 words.
Watching a video/film for educational purposes relevant to professional life accompanied by a reflective practice essay of around 500 words to show what you have gained from this experience as a practitioner.
Reflective Practice
A free guide to show you how to do reflective practice is available on the AC website. It is so easy and enjoyable to do once you get into it. Aromatherapists are doing CPD every day in their practices; reflective practice just helps you evidence it. You can read an article, use the information contained in your practice and then write up the case study and the outcomes. Reflection evidences learning and progression.
CPD Sources
There is so much CPD available nowadays that it is easy to find something you can do. Most of the articles I have written in Today's Therapist have, I hope, spurred interest in various areas for CPD. Many associations have regional therapy groups and you don't have to be a member of that association to attend. Try contacting the AAPA (www.aapa.org.uk), CThA (http://www.complementary.assoc.org.uk) and the IFPA (www.ifparoma.org). These associations also list CPD opportunities either on their websites or in their journals. The Aromatherapy Times is also available from the IFA (www.ifaroma.org) which also provides therapist support groups. Some of the associations have AGMs with CPD lectures for members and put on conferences (AAPA, IFPA, IFA and the FHT - www.fht.org.uk).
On top of this, there are opportunities for attending lectures at exhibitions. Often entry is free for therapists and the lectures are either free or have a minimal charge attached (between £10 and £30) and they give CPD certificates to evidence attendance. In London there's the Training Show in May at Excel (www.trainingshow.co.uk), CAM Expo in October (www.camexpo.com), and also Mind Body Soul Exhibitions around the UK (www.mbsevents.co.uk/visitorinfo.asp) and http://www.chisuk.org.uk/events/ list courses as does www.healthypages.co.uk. In Wales you can visit the Health, Fitness and Well-being Show in September (http://www.hfwshow.co.uk/index_files/Whatson.htm) and Holistic Health is in Donnington at the end of September (www.beautyserve.com). So there is no excuse for not finding something near you!
Note
The AC cannot be held responsible for information contained on the above websites
Carole Preen AC Office
Tel: 0870 7743477
www.aromatherapycouncil.co.uk
To join the register the annual fee is £60.00, which is equivalent to just 16 pence a day in order to give you the credibility and status you deserve as a professional aromatherapist.
AC AGM Minutes 12th July 2006 available at www.aromatherapy-regulation.org.uk BMA, Complementary and alternative medicine - submission to public petitions committee 13 January 2003 Cancer Research UK http://www.cancerhelpuk.org/trials/understanding/default.asp? page=18284 Charlton Dr. Ed, The Management of Postoperative Pain Update in