The announcement by Maggie Dunn, the co-chair of the new
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, that the Council will clean up the industry has been welcomed by lawyers in the human rights department at leading law firm Leigh Day & Co. The firm has represented a number of people who have been abused whilst being treated by therapists.
At the moment therapists and alternative health practitioners can set up with no form of registration of fear of sanctions, a position that has led to inappropriate behaviour by some practitioners.
Witness, the only charity in the UK working exclusively on abuse by health & care workers, has reported many cases of predatory sexual behaviour by counsellors & psychotherapists. The latest proposed code of conduct produced by the General Medical Council bans sex between doctors with current patients and with ex-patients after treatment stops. However, there are no such rules for counsellors, therapists and practitioners of alternative therapies such as acupuncture or hypnotherapy.
At the moment victims of such sexual abuse by non-registered therapists have to resort to pursuing civil lawsuits for breach of trusts that can be a stressful process for people who are vulnerable, distressed and damaged. Nearly half the complaints received by Witness involve unregulated practitioners, director Jonathan Coe estimates that there are 100,000 people offering ‘talking therapies’ nationwide.
The Council is likely to operate a register of complementary medicine therapists of which there are over 150,000 in the UK. Although applying to the register will be voluntary Dunn said "It won't take long for customers to starting asking whether a practitioner is registered or searching on our website for ones that are. "They will then vote with their feet."
The abuse of the deep trust between patient and doctor has parallels with the relationship between therapist and patient and Leigh Day & Co welcomes any move to regulate such practitioners. We have seen the deep distress and trauma of clients who have been the victims of abuse by unscrupulous therapists and welcome a register that will require therapists to maintain professional standards, including insurance. However, we believe that registration should be compulsory to bring this sector into line with doctors, nurses and ancillary medical professionals and that the regulator should have tougher powers to enforce safe practice.
Leigh Day & Co has also acted for clients whose health has been adversely affected by taking complementary medicines.
If you would have been affected by issues raised in this story please contact the human rights department at Leigh Day & Co on 0207 650 1200.
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