Useful Links
Insurance
Westminster Insurance offer Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and Medical Malpractice insurance at reasonable rates. Why do we recommend them? They have fantastic customer service and are there to help when you need them.
Awarding bodies
ITEC is a premier International Awarding Organisation for qualifications in the Complementary Therapy and Sports & Fitness industry with its qualifications being accredited by the UK Government. It has been offering qualifications since 1947 with its qualifications being well respected by employers not only in the UK but around the globe. ITEC currently has centres registered in over 38 countries – in areas such as Africa, The Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.
It is in the forefront of maintaining standards and quality of training ensuring the qualification of highly trained therapists on successful completion.
The VOCATIONAL TRAINING CHARITABLE TRUST (VTCT) is a Government approved Awarding Body offering National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) and other Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQs).
It has been in existence for over forty years and has been at the forefront of developing the vocational system of qualifications in the United Kingdom. Remaining specialised in the areas of Beauty Therapy, Complementary Therapies and Sports & Fitness has enabled the company to gain an experienced team with the knowledge to stay ahead of the game in these areas.
The Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT) acquired EMS Limited which trades as ITEC, the internationally-recognised Awarding Organisation and Examination Board on 8 November 2016.
Professional Associations
The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the oldest Professional Sports and Complementary therapy organisation in the UK. It has the largest membership of any multidisciplinary therapy organisation in the UK with over 21,000 members and has been representing therapists for over 40 years.
It is totally independent of any external commercial interests and is a true non-profit making organisation. It enforces high professional standards, requiring its members to abide by a strict Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
CThA are a leading professional association representing sports, spa and complementary therapists in the UK and Ireland. The CThA provide discounted insurance and professional recognition. Members get listed on the embodyforyou.com website. Members also receive professional help and advice from a team of experts.
Regulators
The BCMA holds an international register of qualified and comprehensively insured therapists belonging to our Member Associations. All are members of the BCMA and adhere to the BCMA Code of Ethics and Disciplinary Procedure.
BCMA Philosophy - Why we are different :-
We are non-profit making and therefore have only your interests at heart.
We champion the preservation of all holistic values not to be compromised by bureaucratic regulation.
We support meaningful voluntary self-regulation where the VSR Council created by the therapy peers maintains control. This protects the therapy associations and practitioners as well as the public.
We embrace and support complementary schools and clinics that meet our criteria.
The BCMA Council IS the membership, not a separate body.
NHC is the UK voluntary regulator for complementary healthcare practitioners. It was set up in 2008 with government funding and support. The key purpose of CNHC is to act in the public interest and enable proper public accountability of the complementary therapists that it registers. CNHC provides a register of complementary therapists from fifteen different complementary therapies. The public can find a local complementary therapist by using the online search facility. CNHC is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care as the holder of an Accredited Register. CNHC is listed on Directory of Accredited Registers. Accreditation means that CNHC as an organisation has met the Professional Standards Authority’s rigorous standards.
The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) is the independent government-appointed body that oversees and scrutinises the work of the nine statutory medical, health and care regulators. These include the General Medical Council (GMC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).
Since March 2012 the Professional Standards Authority has also been able to accredit registers of health and care occupations that are not regulated by law and CNHC has successfully completed this process.
The GCMT is the governing body for massage and soft tissue therapies that form all bodyworks and soft tissue techniques in the UK. The Council for Soft Tissue Therapies is the only forum where Professional Associations who represent massage and soft tissue therapies can come together to discuss and resolve industry issues. We aim to represent the views of the whole spectrum of massage and soft tissue practitioners by working collectively in the best interests of the profession.
Planning your journey
Here are some useful links if you are planning to come and see us:
National Rail - www.nationalrail.co.uk
Transport Direct Info - www.transportdirect.info
Transport for London - journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk
AA Route Planner - www.theaa.com/route-planner
Traveline - http://traveline.info