British Register of Complementary Practitioners:
The British Register of Complementary Practitioners (BRCP), established in 1989, is a Professional Membership Register of Practitioners and Therapists who have proved their competence to practise by either completing an approved course or through an assessment made by the BRCP Registration Panel. It is a multi-disciplinary Register containing 24 Divisions, each having several different practises, administered by the ICM. The BRCP has Practitioners in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, together with countries outside of the UK.
Levels of Practitioner as determined by the BRCP:
The ICM/BRCP recognises four major groups of qualification for people practising Complementary Medicine:
- Therapist - Providing clinical assessment and services as mainly used in the Beauty Industry.
- Practitioner - Specialist complementary medical diagnosis and treatment offered to assist health issues. Available from self-employed Practitioners and Clinics.
- Advanced Practitioner - For teachers and others with higher levels of qualification and specialisation.
- Fellow - An honorary position awarded to those who have made a significant contribution to CAM.
All BRCP Practitioners are able to make a 'Complementary Diagnosis' and are therefore competent to treat diseases and illness, and to work independently. This will usually include a treatment plan tailored to the individual, with regular reviews to ensure that objectives and outcomes are being met, are realistic and achievable.
Therapists are able to offer safe holistic treatments within the terms of the contra- indications of their discipline.
All Practitioners and Therapists are able to join the ICM Approved Insurance Scheme that offers Public Liability, Professional Indemnity, and Product Liability at a cover of £2.5M together with an extensive Legal Expenses package.
The BRCP also offers Student Membership. This allows the student to join the ICM Approved Insurance Scheme and upon successful completion of their course they can apply for full Membership of the BRCP.
ICM/BRCP Educational and Training Standards:
The BRCP is administered by the ICM, working with specialist Registration Panels for each discipline. The Registration Panel quality assures each Division and advises the ICM on any matter of special interest.
ICM/BRCP is committed to ensuring the highest standards of training, continuing professional development and Research. Training standards are assessed in terms of best practice rather than basic national standard. We take every step to ensure that Practitioners Registered with the BRCP are trained to the highest level of competence.
The BRCP is administered as follows:
- The Register includes all disciplines and techniques of Complementary Medicine in separate and autonomous Divisions.
- Each Division can include many types of practice, each of which has their own entry qualification.
- A Registration Panel will consider applications from Practitioners for each Division.
- Members, when eligible, can join more than one Division of the Register.
- Students, when eligible, can join as Student Members of the Register.
- Members of the BRCP who join as full Practitioners must have the necessary underpinning knowledge and competence to enable them to make a Complementary diagnosis
- Members of the BRCP who join as a Therapist must be able to offer safe holistic therapy in accordance with their training and qualification.
- Members of the BRCP must abide by the Code of Ethics and Practice, together with the Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures.
- In the UK, Members must provide evidence of appropriate and sufficient insurance for professional indemnity and public liability as agreed by the Register. Practitioners working outside the UK must have cover that is adequate for that country's requirements and laws.
- Members of the BRCP are required to fulfil the Continual Professional Development Policy to maintain Registration.
Affiliation and Accreditation of Courses:
The ICM is actively engaged in the development of training standards. This is to ensure safe CM services to the public, and also to promote best practice within the disciplines.
The Registration of training courses by the ICM is undertaken through two stages:
- Affiliation
- Accreditation
With some seventy senior Advisors across the disciplines, ICM undertakes to work with the training organisation at each stage of the process, clarifying the syllabus, learning outcomes, and student progress, to the point of full Accreditation.
We are always pleased to discuss training school requirements and interest. An information pack on the Accreditation process is available on request from the ICM office.