The complementary and alternative medicine movement unifies, in a successful move to protect the rights of everyone working within the CAM sector.

This victory demonstrates the power of grassroots activism and the importance of standing up for our rights as CAM practitioners. By coming together and raising our voices, we were able to protect our ability to advertise our services, maintain insurance coverage, and ensure our safe practice.

However, our work is not fully complete. The extended consultation period provides us with an opportunity to provide further feedback and make sure that the amendments fully support the CAM sector. We encourage everyone to continue signing the petition and spreading the word to colleagues and clients.

Thank you again to everyone who has supported this campaign. Your efforts have made a tangible difference and will continue to shape the future of the CAM sector in the UK. Let's keep up the momentum and continue fighting for our rights and the rights of our clients.

For those reading this for the first time

Following the short campaign and timely petition

Freedom 4 Health challenged the proposed changes to the National Occupational Standards, and yesterday evening (Wednesday 16.8.23) Skills for Health informed stakeholders that the proposal for ASA compliance to be introduced into the National Occupational Standards has been removed.

This is a significant victory.

What does this win mean for our sector and users of Complementary and Alternative medicine?

Had the changes proposed, which were requested without the input of the sector, been implemented, it would have meant that to be deemed ‘competent’ a practitioner in ANY discipline would need their promotion and advertising not to adhere to the law directly but to an interpretation of the law made by a voluntary code defined and controlled by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

At the choosing of the ASA, this change could have had a significant impact on your ability to advertise your services, obtain insurance, obtain a Special Treatment Licence, or defend yourself in court.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is a private company financed by a voluntary levy on advertising. It is not regulated and has no government oversight. The ASA is free to change its interpretation without consultation or input from the profession.

Insurance providers, local licensing authorities, courts, and awarding bodies all use National Occupational Standards to assess competency and safe practice.

A big thank-you.

We would like to thank each and every one of you for signing the petition as you have been instrumental in informing the changes to the proposed amendments, namely:

????????????The replacement of the proposed performance criteria ‘Comply with the Advertising Standards Authority Non-Broadcast Code of Advertising and section 4 of the Cancer Act 1939’ with a generic performance criterion ‘Comply with current legislative requirements, regulations, codes of practice and guidance applicable to your practice’.

????????????The inclusion of the proposed knowledge and understanding statement ‘The claims for your discipline that can be made in your advertising including on social media’.

????????????The addition of a knowledge and understanding statement ‘Current legislative requirements, regulations, codes of practice and guidance applicable to your practice’.

Please continue to ask CAM sector stakeholders, practitioners, students, and clients to sign the petition, as the new extended consultation period is now open until August 23, 2023.

Please also share the petition link with your colleagues and all users of complementary and alternative medicine far and wide.