Today, we have published our report following an assessment of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) against Standard One of our Standards for Accredited Registers. Also known as ‘the public interest test’, we assess whether the benefits of activities of the roles registered by the CNHC are likely to outweigh the risks.
The ‘public interest test’ was introduced in July 2021. Since then, we have been including it in our assessments for new, and current Accredited Registers. We first accredited the CNHC in 2013. We found that the public interest test was met with a Condition that the CNHC should, within six months, strengthen its checks on whether registrants are advertising responsibly. It should also introduce a clearer process for handling breaches of its advertising requirements.
Alan Clamp, Chief Executive of the Professional Standards Authority, said: ‘We are pleased that CNHC has met Standard One. The ‘public interest test’ supports informed patient choice and reduces the risk that a register is accredited if it is unable to evidence how its registrants support health and wellbeing.’
ENDS
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
Email: media@professionalstandards.org.uk
Notes to the Editor- The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care oversees 10 statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK.
- We assess their performance and report to Parliament. We also conduct audits and investigations and can appeal fitness to practise cases to the courts if we consider that sanctions are insufficient to protect the public and it is in the public interest.
- We also set standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations and accredit those that meet them.
- We share good practice and knowledge, conduct research and introduce new ideas to our sector. We monitor policy developments in the UK and internationally and provide advice on issues relating to professional standards in health and social care.
- We do this to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of users of health and social care services and the public. We are an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament.
- Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.
- More information about our work and the approach we take is available at www.professionalstandards.org.uk
- Visit www.cnhc.org.uk/ for more information about the CNHC.