National Professional Standards

As part of the developing recommendations under the Herbal Medicine Regulatory Working Group on the regulation of practitioners, the EHPA worked with Skills for Health to develop National Professional Standards.  Skills for Health works with employers and other stakeholders to ensure that those working in the healthcare sector are equipped with the right skills to support the development and delivery of healthcare services.

In December 2002, representatives of the Western Herbal Medicine professional bodies met with Skills for Health to begin work on defining standards for the practice of herbal medicine in the UK.  The standards were adapted from the pre-existing National Occupational Standards documentation produced for professions such as nursing and physiotherapy.

In July 2003, Skills for Health published the National Professional Standards for Herbal Medicine covering Chinese Herbal Medicine and Traditional Tibetan Medicine in addition to Western Herbal Medicine.  Both a Functional Map and Assessment Strategy were included as part of the new standard.

Skills for Health also published a useful National Professional Standards for Herbal Medicine Guide in July 2004 outlining the uses and benefits of the new standards.

These documents, with significant input from the professions themselves, represent a consensus on acceptable standards for practitioners in their clinics, and are also regarded as useful reference material for such personnel in the development of their practices.