Aromatherapy
Council EGM 13th March 2007
Connaught
Hall,
Present: Jennifer
Makin, Sophie Hudson, Ruth Bridge (Finance Officer), Carole Preen (Secretary),
Declan Bowers-Clark, Sue Mousley, Carol Jordan, Viv Hinks, Richard Eaton, Kay
Barnard, Dr. Hans Meier (Lay Chair), Lorraine Davis, Frances Dickens, David
Donovan.
Observers: Jean
Nestor (Invited from the Foundation for Integrated Health) and Lotte Rose
Apologies: Ray
Mingay,
Welcome & Introduction – Lay Chair
We have achieved
quite a lot since the last meeting and some very positive outcomes can be
reported. We have received a very nice letter from Lord Hunt’s office, also
several from Strategic Health Authorities, NHS Direct has contacted us &
various articles have been printed with our information promoted in national
newspapers and magazines.
The Minutes were checked
for accuracy and action points discussed. Disciplinary Handbook outstanding as
is the solicitor point. Minutes approved subject to two minor amendments and
will go onto the website.
ACTION POINT> CP to upload minutes to AC website
Complaints
The meeting
became closed so that a discussion could take place in private as individuals
were named. This was all resolved without need for further action.
Finance Report
Documents were
circulated by RB to the Council members and a general confidential discussion
took place.
Office Admin Report
Report attached
to the minutes
Education Board
Deferred to
Constitutional changes
PR Working Group
JM suggested a
working group to help brainstorm ideas for PR. KB has experience with national
and regional radio media. This group will be managed my email and phone. JM
will co-ordinate a PR group with KM and SH as well as CP in the office.
Office contract & staff handbook
CP wants the
Contract to say she is full time and all agreed. The Staff Handbook is a large
job and as there is no staff at present except CP, she decided this was low
priority compared to dealing with registrations. It will be dealt with as soon
as possible. A template has been obtained in preparation.
Risk Assessment
This was already
covered in the finance discussions.
Rewording Code of Professional Conduct
This came from a
suggestion via one of the Registrants with regard to childbirth. The current
wording in the Codes does not give clear instruction. SM looked at the NMC
rules and standards and came up with a rewording. All agreed. The wording will
now read:
“Except in case
of sudden or urgent necessity, it is an offence for anyone other than a
practicing registered midwife or a registered medical practitioner to attend a
woman in childbirth without medical supervision. A practicing midwife is defined
as “only those with effective
registration on the NMC register as a midwife can practice legally in the
ACTION POINT> CP to amend the Code and upload it
to the website
Constitution changes
CP gave an
explanation of the Education Board and what the roles and responsibilities
were.
All the points
presented in the motions were unanimously agreed. The Constitution will
therefore be changed to reflect this.
ACTION POINT> CP to amend the Constitution and
upload it to the website
Frances Dickens
will be the Lay representative on the Education Board and Frances Fewell will
be the Chair.
All agreed on the
criteria for the Board members.
ACTION POINT> CP to write out to all professional
associations and relevant organisations to invite new members for the board
using the agreed criteria.
Insurance & Company Status
RB has not gone
any further with the Company Ltd by guarantee. The insurance is very important
and we need to be in a position where we are really well insured so that if we
have a problem we can pass it to the insurance company who can deal with it for
us. The cost of litigation is very expensive. We need to take professional
advice from the brokers and ensure we have general cover for defamation etc. As
a regulatory body we are saying what people can and cannot do, so we could find
ourselves tied in with something one of our Registrants does. It is difficult
to pin liability on complementary medicine but the game is increasing all the
time. There is an increasing trend of lawyers offering a no-win no-fee offer.
Run off cover is also vital too. CP will circulate the insurance details when
it comes in for consideration and CP to get quotes now.
ACTION POINT> CP to gain quotes and information.
RB to work on Company status
Insurance letters
We agreed a
letter to go out to private health insurance companies. CP read out BUPA letter
and aromatherapy is not currently available to their members. The same response
was received from AXA PPP healthcare.
With regard to
contacting insurance companies who offer cover for therapists, we have no remit
to stipulate anything to insurance companies except to let them know we exist.
This is a good PR exercise that the new PR group can deal with.
Yellow Pages
CJ explained the
discussion at the Consortium in that therapist felt it was not favourable. CP
confirmed that it used to exist in the Consortium and it was very successful. She
explained that the professional associations thought it was their remit to
promote their members and not the regulatory body. The professional
associations do have a commercial interest and we have to acknowledge that. CP
stated a list from Yellow pages about other regulatory bodies who do have a
corporate advertising box. It is important that we are not stepping on
association’s toes as we need to have them with us rather than feeling
threatened. It was suggested we have an informal discussion with the
associations via the Education Board to see how we could link up further in the
future to benefit everyone and the Yellow Pages item can be discussed again
there to see how the associations feel about this now. Also discuss how we can
unite more for the benefit of aromatherapists.
FD presented an
excellent PR tool with an advert playing on “AC”. It was agreed that the
information we need to get out to the public is that they need to look for “AC
Registered” Aromatherapists. This is what Julie Stone put in her report for the
Foundation that a quality kite mark is important for the public and she likened
it to Corgi registered – in other words branding. We need to say what our kite
mark means.
CP mentioned Yell.com
banner but all agreed it was too expensive.
S12 (1) Reform
FD asked to have
this explained. CP and VH started the discussion. VH stated that it is really
all about herbalists and protection for the public in exempting herbal remedies,
some of which within TCM are hazardous to the public. Therefore the MHRA are
restricting use of s12 (1) to statutory regulated herbalists from 2010. We are
not able to become statutory regulated.
RE reported that
the MHRA have also stated that blending of essential oils for external use will
not be regarded as medicinal products. Research does show that essential oils
have a medicinal effect and well qualified aromatherapists will want to tell
their patients want they can offer. CP said that many aromatherapists work on complex
medical conditions and some within the NHS, so where does this leave them? RE
stated that it is the way you present yourself in your literature that is the
problem. Aromatherapists do state in their literature that they can help with
certain conditions. SM read out the definition of medicinal from the
CP asked if the
blend an aromatherapist makes up is for medicinal use. Everyone felt that it is.
If someone comes for a blend to treat their sinusitis, then the blend made up
by the therapist is a treatment with a physiological effect. DC felt that if we
want to face up to using s12(1), aromatherapy as a profession has to grow up we
have to climb over the fence and take the consequences of that. RE questioned
whether or not we need a separate category of medical aromatherapy. What if the
MHRA say that we are not able to use S12(1) because we do not come up to
scratch in respect of statutory regulation? The Principles of Better Regulation
from the government are not being met here. If we are rejected we will have to
challenge the regulations. In terms of aromatherapy is does seem wrong to
expect that every aromatherapist should work in the same way as a statutory
regulated herbalist. It is not proportionate to the risk.
VH stated that we
need to make a case that aromatherapists are exempt from the rules they are setting
up. We are different and we have to go for aromatherapy being exempt from the
Act and the essential oils being exempt in the hands of registered of
aromatherapists. So in that case essential oils would not need to be obtained
from THMP sources. What is being proposed closes the door for us and so we need
to make a case to make an exemption and say that aromatherapy is different and
therefore should not be forced to try and fit and round peg into a square hole.
CP suggested we
have an on-line consultation so that aromatherapists can have their say about
s12(1) and whether or not they think they use it.
We will tell the
MHRA that we want to be seen separately and that we want to retain the right to
use S12(1) exemptions for VSR registered aromatherapists.
ACTION> CP to send draft response out tomorrow as
this has to be in by the end of the month.
CP suggested the
AC should write a guidance policy document explaining to aromatherapists what
they can and cannot say in their literature. She mentioned the CAP guidelines
(circulated) and the MHRA Guidance note 8. Lotte Rose explained guidance note
8, which gives advice for wording in context. CP agreed and said that we could
give guidance on the correct context.
If we give
guidelines to therapists we will be accountable for that. CP said we could send
the policy document to MHRA and ASA for checking accuracy. This will no doubt
really help our case.
ACTION POINT> CP to formulate a draft layout for
this document, which could be worked on further by the new Education Board
The MHRA is willing
to meet with us. It was felt that the Education Board will be a good avenue for
this as then the professional associations and other organizations can be
involved in the discussions.
Exhibitions
CAM EXPO contra.
It was agreed to take this up as we should be promoting ourselves. Hans Meier CJ
& DC will assist CP.
The other one
Primary Care we could go back late and try and get a discount. 10th
& 11th May is the date and SM could help man the stand with CP.
Donnington is
supposed to be good, so again we could try a discount.
Vitality show – DC
will take AC leaflets.
ACTION POINTS> CP to contact
SM to contact
Primary Care organisers
CP to contact
Donnington organisers
AOB
Richard is a
barrister so he has asked for it to be minuted that any representations he
makes at AC meetings should not be construed as legal advice.
CP said that she
had been asked by registrants if they were allowed to use the AC logo. We need to see where it is
being used and it what context. As long as you are signed up to those standards
it can be used to reflect the fact that they have complied with the quality
standards we require. Need to use AC Registered with the logo. Therefore they
should use the AC Registered Aromatherapist logo. Make sure it cannot be
obtained via the website and add it to the welcome letter that they can ask for
the jpeg to be emailed to them.
Hans Meier asked
Jean Nestor to prepare a document about s12(1) and how other therapies the FIH
work with are affected as this will be useful to us. She felt that homeopaths,
naturopaths, nutritional therapists are also affected, and more naturopaths
than anyone else.
SM said that as a
result of the Launch Party, David Tredinnick MP will be visiting her midwifery unit
and this is a wonderful PR opportunity for the AC and invited everyone from the
group to attend. Date 20th April 2007 at the
Federal Working Group (FWG)
A general
informal discussion took place as reports had already been sent to Council
members from CP who is attending as the main representative. CP asked for clear
direction for future FWG meetings so that she could represent the AC at the
next meeting on the 23rd March 2007 and for FF who will attend in
April.
The structure the
AC prefers is light touch with our suggested model (attached to these minutes) and
we have sent this to the Foundation. We do not want to devolve the Aromatherapy
VS Regulatory body into a mere “Board” with 5 people on it (as is being
suggested), responsible for education as the profession is far too complex for
that to work. The Principle of Subsidiarity and the creation of a light touch
true federal structure is what we feel would be best. Ultimately, we agree with
a single register to help therapists who practice more than one therapy from
paying more than one registration fee, but want to remain autonomous over
decisions that affect our own profession, so in effect this has to be
professionally-led regulation and not dictated to us from outside.
There might be a
case for a national complaints structure for generic complaints (fitting in
with current guidelines – mediation etc.) but anything specific to aromatherapy
should be dealt with by the Aromatherapy Council.
The meeting ended
at 4.00pm and Hans Meier thanked everyone for their contribution to a very
productive and positive meeting.
Office
Administration Report
For the AC
EGM 13th April 2007
By Carole Preen
This is a brief
report to summarise events in the office since our last meeting. Much of my
work is also reported in other parts of the agenda.
PR
The letter to the
Department of Health and 10 Strategic Health Authorities was sent and we have
received favourable replies. The letter from Lord Hunt’s office within the DH
states that “the Department is sure that Trusts will have the confidence to use
the services of aromatherapists now that they have achieved voluntary
self-regulation”. Many of the Health Authorities wrote back thanking us for the
information and have distributed information. They suggested that we also write
to all the Commissioner’s of Services within PCT’s, and with the help of Sue
Mousley, I now have contact details for all of these and will send letters out
next week based on the original. We have also been contacted last week by NHS Direct
who wanted to add us to their database. This goes out to PCT’s
physiotherapists, social services, GP’s, and A&E Departments to name but a
few and of course any callers regarding aromatherapy will be directed to us.
Where the Health
Authorities have sent out our details (mainly
Ian Cambray-Smith
from the Foundation of Integrated has also officially informed me verbally that
the Aromatherapy Council will be invited to join the Integrated Health
Associates at its next event.
I have had
replies from Private Health Insurance Companies, but unfortunately they are not
able to include aromatherapy in the policies offered. They have however
congratulated us on our achievement getting regulation in place and BUPA, who
always included the Aromatherapy Consortium’s details anyway for finding out
about aromatherapy, will now update their details to the Council stating that
we are the VSR body.
We have had some
excellent press coverage, such as in the Times (Body & Soul section
07/02/07) and in several women’s magazines all of which have made the phones
very busy, with members of the public wanting a registered, regulated
aromatherapist. Today’s Therapist continue to promote us in each issue and I
know two other professional magazines that are currently writing articles as a
result of receiving our Launch Press Release. We have also been contacted by
the Psoriasis Alliance to write a fact sheet for them on aromatherapy.
The PR has
therefore been very successful from the press releases issued so far, but we
will need to do another one shortly.
Further PR work
I have been
printing off and enveloping 1450 letters to names on the database encouraging
them to register, including the statement above from Lord Hunt’s office. This
work is ongoing as I am doing everything on my own. A pro-rata fee has been
offered as £50 from the 1st March and £40 from the 1st
June. Re-validation is 1st October and I will send out forms in late
August.
The Council will
now need to develop election procedures to go out with the re-validation forms.
New Council members
I have circulated
the CV’s of both Richard Eaton and Declan Bowers-Clark with emails from you
accepting them onto the Council, so thank you for that support and I would like
to thank them for their enthusiasm and commitment to aromatherapy. Declan is AC
Registered as are all the professional Council members.
The Register
Current numbers
are still lower than expected but hopefully this latest mail shot will help. I
am behind slightly on registrations as have been busy on the phones and with
the mail shot and will give you an update before my holiday in April.
Staff holiday
I will be away
from the 16th April to the 30th April, which equates to 8
days leave. The office will be closed during that period with an answer phone
message. Most information can be obtained from the website.
Website
This has been
updated to include a page for the Education Board, which still requires more
work once that group is officially set up. The first meeting has been set for
the 3rd May 2007 at
I have also been
dealing with aromatherapists and national press enquiries on the recent bad
press on Tea Tree and Lavender oils. We now have an official response on
Gyneocomastia from ATTIA and I have a copy of the official response to the SCCP
on Tea Tree, so have uploaded this onto the News page of our website for
information. It is not our remit to circulate this, but it helps if we can give
the information out from a central source. As for Tea Tree and MRSA,
All in all it has
been an incredibly busy period for the office, but this bodes well for the
future.
