Background

In 2000, following the House of Lords Science and Technology  Report  on Complementary and Alternative  Medicines (1), The Princes Foundation for Integrated Health (PFIH) invited applications from complementary healthcare groups to enter a regulation programme. The programme was supported by the King's Fund and Department of Health. The groups were initially tasked with establishing single discipline professional registers.

Following a report by Professor Julie Stone in 2005 (2) the agenda changed and it was agreed that a single federal body for complementary healthcare should be established which would regulate a range of professional disciplines within the sector.

This work culminated in the establishment of a Federal Working Group  (FWG) chaired by Professor Dame Joan Higgins, which worked  during 2007 and made recommendations (3) for the body which became known as The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).

CNHC was set up as an entirely separate and independent body in January 2008. During 2008 it put into place the policies and procedures necessary for the effective running of a regulatory body, including an on-line register. The register opened in January 2009 with registrants from two disciplines and others were added, as they met CNHC standards, during the year.

CNHC It is a company limited by guarantee (no: 6643004) and managed by a Board of Directors. Its establishment is funded until March 2011 by start-up monies from the Department of Health and registrant fees, after which income will come from registrant fees alone.

(1)  2000 House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. (2000) Session 1999-2000, 6th Report, Complementary and Alternative Medicine. HL Paper 123. London: Her Majesty's Stationary Office.

(2) 2005 Stone, J, 2005. Development of proposals for a future voluntary regulatory structure for complementary healthcare professions. London: The Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health.

(3) 2008 A Federal Approach to Professionally-Led Voluntary Regulation for Complementary Healthcare The final report of the Federal Working Group February 2008 A Plan for Action FIH.

Revised 2010