2006 Consultation:

"Exploring a Federal Approach to Voluntary Self Regulation of Complementary Healthcare"

What is it?

As the name suggests, this was the consultation on whether different complementary therapies should be regulated by the same regulator. That was the recommendation in a report commissioned in 2005 by PFIH from Professor Julie Stone of the University of Lincoln.

The various possible options for regulation are:

  1. 1. Bowen joins a Federal Regulatory Council, which regulates several different therapies under a system of Voluntary Self Regulation (VSR);
  2. 2. Bowen sets up its own system of Voluntary Self Regulation – a regulatory body just for Bowen therapy;
  3. 3. We work with other therapies to try to persuade the Government that there is a need for Statutory Self Regulation of complementary therapies. However, this is unlikely to succeed, and is not recommended as an option by PFIH;
  4. 4. We do nothing, and stay as we are at the moment, without a regulatory body.

The consultation closed on 28 July 2006, having been open to all Bowen therapists, whether or not they are currently a member of a professional association, and to all persons or organisations with an interest in any complementary therapy.

Results of the Consultation

Full details are available here.

The headline results are:

438 responses were received.
68% agreed with the principle of establishing a federal regulatory body.
71% agreed with the criteria for professions to be regulated by the federal council.
68% agreed with the proposed fundamental functions and duties of the council.

Why is consultation important?

VSR is an important issue, and affects the future of our profession. A consultation process is the best way in which we can find out the views and concerns of Bowen therapists about regulation. And carrying out such a consultation is being proposed as one of the requirements for a therapy to be allowed to participate in a federal regulatory body. It is therefore vitally important that as many Bowen therapists as possible feed in their views to the Bowen Forum on an ongoing basis.

We intend to conduct a number of electronic surveys over the next year or so, using an internet-based tool called ‘Survey Monkey’, since this is the cheapest and easiest way to find out what people think.

What does The Bowen Forum think about a federal regulatory body?

The Bowen Forum believes that complementary therapies should be subject to regulation, and agrees with Professor Julie Stone and PFIH that a federal system of Voluntary Self Regulation is the best way to achieve this.

Some of the benefits of a federal structure are listed in Professor Julie Stone’s report, and in The Bowen Forum's 'Simple Guide to Regulation'.

The Bowen Forum's response to the consultation can be found here.

How do I obtain a copy of the consultation document?

Click here to download the consultation document. Please allow a few minutes for this document to load (if you do not have a broadband connection).