Act Now

Regulation campaign

2010-01-15T05:34:00.000-08:00

Once again we need to redouble our efforts and contact our Members of Parliament so that they are aware of the importance of a regulated profession. At the general election in May half of the Members of Parliament elected were new, and therefore will be unaware of our previous campaigns.

Please see the draft letters below (they are colour coded for easy reference). One is from you as a practitioner (in blue), the other is from your patients (in brown). There is also a briefing document to accompany the letters (in green). You can find contact details for your MP here: http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/ MPs are on holiday currently, but do please send the letters through to them as soon as possible, and if also ask if you can see them in person - 2011 is only a few months away!

LETTER FOR PATIENTS TO SEND.doc

LETTER FOR PRACTITIONERS TO SEND.doc

BRIEFING DOCUMENT TO ACCOMPANY BOTH LETTERS.doc

Herbal medicine under threat! Please help to preserve it! Join us in London on 3 February 2010.

To find out more please click here.

House of Lords Reception to brief MPs

Thursday 12th November 6.00pm - 8.00pm

Make sure YOUR MP attends this vital meeting

To find out more please click here.

ELEANOR GALLIA INTERVIEWED ON BBC WORLD SERVICE

To download and listen to it please click here.

HAYLEY JONES INTERVIEWED LIVE ON RADIO KENT DURING THE LONDON RALLY:

My dad recorded my radio bit today so I’m attaching it. You know how it is, I’d have liked to have said different things, but I hope it came across well to the public!! Hayley

To download and listen to it please click here.

Pictures from the London demo – thanks to all who helped and took part.

David Tredinnick MP joined the protest.

Lord Colvin, Deputy Leader in the House of Lords, being interviewed on the BBC World Service.

NIMH Hon Sec Ann George with her grandson Bert (his banner was seized by the police as they entered Central Lobby.

Mass Lobby

2010-01-14T14:09:00.000-08:00

European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association

Herbal medicine under threat! Please help to preserve it!

The Department of Health has recently consulted on the statutory regulation of herbal practitioners but the Government continues to delay on going forward with this vital legislation.

If herbal/traditional medicine practitioners do not get statutory regulation by the time a new European Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products comes fully into force in April 2011, they will lose the right to prescribe many commonly used herbal medicines and patients will be the losers because they will lose access to a wide range of herbal medicines currently available. In addition, these changes may force many herbal practitioners and their herbal suppliers out of business. Crazy!

Statutory regulation will ensure continued supply of quality assured herbal medicines and high-grade practitioner training as well appropriate regulation of the profession. Statutory regulation is in the public interest!

For this reason, we ask that you write or contact your MP as soon as possible and say that “no other arrangement than statutory regulation of herbalists will meet your needs.”

If you care about herbal medicine, please do not miss the opportunity to support this ancient and priceless healing system.

Please write and say “Herbal practitioners must be statutorily regulated as soon as possible.” Say also “No other arrangement than statutory regulation will meet my needs!”

If you are writing to your MP, please also add a personal reason for supporting statutory regulation (e.g. “I use herbal medicine” or “I find herbal medicine effective to treat many ailments etc”). In this way you will personalise your reply and so ensure that it is included in the count of those writing in and emailing in favour of statutory regulation of herbal medicine.

The Department of Health has promised statutory regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture (carried out together) over the past ten years. A previous public consultation by the Department in 2005 had a 98% public response in favour of statutory regulation. Please ensure the Government lives up to its promises by writing to support its introduction as soon as possible.

Statutory regulation will ensure that practitioners are properly trained and regulated. It is clearly in the public interest!

Please don’t delay – write in support of statutory regulation!

Thank you very much for doing this...

About Herbal medicine

Did you know that herbal medicine is one of the most ancient forms of medicine, used the world over?

Today scientific research is backing the traditional use of remedies that have been used for thousands of years. For example, research now indicates that St John’s wort is effective for mild and moderate depression, ginger is good for nausea and valerian and hops can help you sleep. Although, of course, natural doesn’t guarantee safe, most herbal remedies have a gentle action on the body/mind and in the hands of a skilled herbal practitioner herbs can do much to restore a weakened or overburdened system.

In December 2008, the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a statement on Traditional Medicine. This says:

WHO and its Member States cooperate to promote the use of traditional medicine for health care. The collaboration aims to:

support and integrate traditional medicine into national health systems in combination with national policy and regulation for products, practices and providers to ensure safety and quality;
ensure the use of safe, effective and quality products and practices, based on available evidence;
acknowledge traditional medicine as part of primary health care, to increase access to care and preserve knowledge and resources;
and ensure patient safety by upgrading the skills and knowledge of traditional medicine providers.

Gaining statutory regulation will ensure these aims are met in the UK.....

The European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (EHTPA) was founded in 1993 when it became clear that, with the development of the European Union, the legislative framework under which herbal medicine was practised in the UK and Europe was likely to undergo radical change. It is an umbrella body which represents professional associations of herbal/traditional medicine practitioners offering variously western herbal medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, Ayurveda and traditional Tibetan medicine. The EHTPA is dedicated to the development of herbal/traditional medicine, preserving and enhancing the legal basis of practice across EU Members States and promoting best practice throughout the traditions.

Downloads
Mass Lobby info Wednesday 3 Feb 2010
Demo Poster 3 Feb

Act for a Choice of Herbal Medicine in the Future

2009-10-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

Is it important to you that herbal medicine exists? The Department of Health is running a Consultation to ask people whether medical herbalists should be regulated, or not. This will have important consequences in determining whether (or not) you and your family can access herbal medicine in the future! Act Now as the deadline is 16^th November. For the full story click here, but, in a nutshell, most herbalists want to be regulated and:

If all herbalists have to be regulated they will:

be professional practitioners with an agreed level of training
have a Degree in Herbal Medicine (like all those at NIMH)
regulated by a professional body
undergo Continuous Professional Development
adhere to a code of ethics and be insured to practice
be more accessible to G.P.s and other healthcare practitioners
have access to a wide range of herbal medicines (of controlled quality)

If herbalists are NOT regulated as is the case now:

anyone could practice, calling themselves a medical herbalist - even if not qualified!
there will be widely varying standards of professionalism and qualifications
they'll have little ability to hold dialogue with G.P.s or other healthcare practitioners
not be able to supply a full range of herbal medicines to patients

PLEASE ACT NOW

The consultation closes on 16^th November this year. Please do one of or all of the following:

Write to your M.P. in your own words or download a template of Sample MP Letter on the right.
Copy this to your M.E.P. or M.S.P.
You can find your M.P.'s address here
Fill in the Department of Health's Consultation Paper (download here) or
Write to the DH Consultation Team, in your own words or using Sample DoH Letter 1 or Sample DoH Letter 2 on the right, to request they register your opinion

THANK YOU

This is so important. People have used herbal medicines for at least 25,000 years and we want to retain our right of choice to do so in the future. Post-2011, in order for you to have the most choice in herbal medicine, it is vitally important that herbalists are regulated. This way you will have access to both a small range over-the-counter licensed herbal remedies and to a wide range of prescription herbal formulas. And, you will also know your practitioner is properly trained, up-to-date and operating from a strict code of ethics. It is important to remember that herbalists themselves want to be regulated. Only by acting now can we influence the Government's decision.

A Letter from Jane to all our Members

2009-10-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

Jane Gray,
<<<<>>>>

October 2009

Dear Patient, Customer, Colleague or Friend

I am writing to you on a matter of the utmost importance. A matter that may affect your ability to buy herbal medicines in the future. It may come as a surprise to you to know that not all herbalists are qualified and nor are they regulated! Of course, all Napiers practitioners are, and I have worked hard with various national forum and working groups to ensure that medical herbalists practice at the same high levels you would expect from any healthcare practitioner.

The Department of Health has now published a Consultation Document on the regulation of herbalists. In order to protect your access to professional herbal treatment, and to allow people to have the choice to use herbal medicine, it is essential that as many of us as possible respond positively stating that we want herbalists to be regulated. I have explained the reasons for this in more depth here but in essence, if herbalists are regulated they will still be able to provide a wide range of herbal medicines.

The Consultation Document is complex and not easy to understand, so we have published our response to it on our website. On the website we have also posted a couple of sample letters which you could use if you wish to do so - a sample letter to your MP, a personal reply to DoH and a professional reply to DoH – though in order for your response to really count you should ‘personalise’ it in some way so that it is not an exact copy. Your response may not be counted if it is seen to be a standard reproduced letter.

As a frequent user of herbal medicine, I am urging you to write to the Department of Health immediately. Responses must be in by the end of October to be valid, so time is of the essence. Your letter should be sent to:-

AHMTCM Consultation Team
Department of Health 
Room 2 N09 
Quarry House 
Quarry Hill 
Leeds LS2 7UE

When you write your letter I suggest that you put the phrase ‘cc Constituency MP’, and then send a copy to your own MP, at the same time as you send your response to the Department of Health. Your can find your MP by clicking here or, if you wish to do so you can contact the National Institute of Medical Herbalists on 01392 426022 and they will help you to find this information.

I know you have many calls on your time but if we want to protect the right for ourselves and our families to access herbal medicine treatment then we must act – I know that us herbalists can’t do this on our own – we need you to speak for us.

Thank you so much.

Jane Gray

The Current Situation on Herbal Medicine

2009-10-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

You may or may not have been aware that there are some big changes to the way that herbal medicine is regulated during the past few years. This affects your ability to buy herbal remedies. Please take a moment to read this and please do take action if you would like to have access to herbal medicine in the future.

A NEW E.U. DIRECTIVE (THMPD) LIMITS HERBAL REMEDIES
In 2005 a new E.U. law was passed called The Herbal Medicinal Products Directive. The United Kingdom agreed to comply with it and we are currently in a transitional phase. The result of the law is that after April 2011, no unlicensed herbal medicines can be sold over the counter. This means that the majority of herbal products will disappear from the market as it is too costly and complex for most companies to comply. So far, only about 39 products across the entire U.K. have got a new THR licence. You can get up to date information on this from the MHRA website.

HERBAL PRESCRIPTIONS
Alongside this new THMPD law mentioned above, the intention was that herbalists would be regulated, so that they could still purchase the herbal tinctures and blends (known as "specials") that they use to create your unique prescription. Without regulation herbalists will not be able to buy any unlicensed herbal tinctures or blends, while today a herbalist may stock their dispensary with around 300 different herbal tinctures.

REGULATION OF HERBALISTS
You might be surprised to know that currently anyone can call themselves a herbalist and trade as such. Reputable companies only employ fully qualified herbal medicines practitioners, who are also members of governing bodies such as NIMH (the National Institute of Medical Herbalists) and CCP (the College of Phytotherapy Practitioners). However, some people without qualifications, and often without fluent English, can and do practice as herbalists. This can lead to the misuse of herbs - such as contraindications with prescription drugs - that qualified herbalists are trained to avoid.

GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION
The Department of Health is running a Consultation to find out whether people think that medical herbalists should be regulated, or not. This will have important consequences and will determine the level of your and your family's access to herbal medicine in the future!

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
After April 2011 you will only be able to buy licensed herbal remedies (currently only 39 have THRs but hopefully there will more more over the next year). So any other herbal preparations you need can only be got from a herbalist. However, the herbalist will only be able to supply you if they are regulated, unless they make their own homemade tinctures - currently most are made in accredited factories with proper Quality and Batch Control procedures. So post-2011, in order for you to have the most choice in herbal medicine, it is important that herbalists are regulated. Click here for more reasons.

If all herbalists have to be regulated they will:

professional practitioners with an agreed level of training - a Degree in Herbal Medicine
regulated by a professional body and undergo Continuous Professional Development
adher to a code of ethics and be insured to practice
be more accessible to G.P.s and other healthcare practitioners
have access to a wide range of herbal medicines (of controlled quality)

If herbalists are NOT regulated as is the case now:

anyone will be allowed to practice and call themselves a medical herbalist - even if they are not qualified!
have widely varying standards of professionalism and qualifications
have little ability to hold dialogue with G.P.s or other healthcare practitioners
not be able to supply a full range of herbal medicines to patients

PLEASE ACT NOW

The consultation closes on 16^th November this year. Please do one of or all of the following:

Write to your M.P. in your own words or download a template of Draft 1 on the left.
Copy this to your M.E.P. or M.S.P.
You can find your M.P.'s address by clicking here
Fill in the Consultation Paper (download here) or
Write to the Consultation Team in your own words or using Draft 2 or Draft 3 on the left to request they register your opinion

THANK YOU
This is so important. People have used herbal medicines for at least 25,000 years and we want to retain our right of choice to do so in the future. Only by acting now can we influence the Government's decision.

Why vote yes?

2009-10-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

After April 2011 under the new E.U. Directive THMPD you will only be able to buy licensed herbal remedies. Currently only 39 products have THRs but hopefully there will more more over the next year. So for any other herbal preparations you need, you can only get them from a herbalist following a consultation.

Currently, herbalists have access to a wide range of herbal medicines and are able to custom blend prescriptions for you. In some situations herbalist have some traditional blends going back 150 years.

If herbalists are regulated they will be able to continue to supply their patients with a range of herbal remedies and will be able to supply traditional blends. A regulated situation will support public safety and preserve access to herbal remedies.

Unregulated herbalists may be untrained or unqualified. This might lead to a huge discrepancy in the experience the patient has and it might even lead to the wrong diagnosis or the wrong treatment plan. Unregulated herbalists will be unable to use traditional blends and the public will lose access to a huge number of herbal remedies. There is a big issue here of public safety.

So post-2011, in order for you to have the most choice in herbal medicine, it is important that herbalists are regulated. This way you will have access to both over-the-counter licensed herbal remedies and to a wide range of prescription herbs. And, you will also know your practitioner is properly trained, up-to-date and operating to a strict code of ethics. It is important to remember that herbalists themselves want to be regulated.

Please take the trouble to ACT NOW and help preserve the widest choice for us all.

Sample response to the questions in the DoH's Consultation Document

2009-10-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Question 1: What evidence is there of harm to the public currently as a result of the activities of acupuncturists, herbalists and traditional Chinese medical practitioners? What is its likelihood and severity?

While I only visit fully trained and qualified practitioners, I know there are unscrupulous practitioners in other practices who do not know enough, or care about what they prescribe, or where the herbs they use are sourced and made. These individuals are a potential danger to the public and cases have been documented showing the potential health risks that these people could cause.

However, herbal medicine is actively sought as a preferred medical treatment by millions of people each year. The potential for harm comes from people not being able to access a register of statutorily regulated herbalists. Regulated herbalists would be known to be safely and competently trained, undertake continuous professional development, and have a properly operating complaints and disciplinary process, along with a Code of Ethics.

Question 2: Would this harm be lessened by statutory regulation? If so, how?

I wish to be able to be sure about the herbal practitioner I choose to use and a statutory register would enable me to make safe choices about my health treatments. It would reduce the risk of danger from an incompetent practitioner. It would allow all members of my health care team, including my GP/Consultant and Medical Herbalist, to communicate freely to the overall benefit of patient safety and well being.

Question 3: What do you envisage would be the benefits to the public, to practitioners, and to businesses, associated with introducing statutory regulation?

The public could be sure that mechanisms exist to train and monitor the practitioner they choose. Patients could be sure the practitioner they visit is appropriately qualified.

Practitioners would be working more closely with their peers in the healthcare professions which would make for better practice and understanding of healthcare needs thus promoting patient welfare. Working in a collaborative way would also improve other professions' understanding of the practice of herbal medicine.

Business would have a safe secure and guaranteed market for their products safeguarding jobs (many of which are in rural communities which often have high unemployment rates). Business would therefore be encouraged to invest in research and better equipment.

Question 4: What do you envisage would be the regulatory burden and financial costs, to the public, to practitioners, and to businesses, associated with introducing statutory regulation? Are these costs justified by the benefits and are they proportionate to the risks? If so, in what way?

The Government has already significantly increased the costs associated with regulation by holding this Consultation. Over ten years of costs and expenses associated with various reports and other consultations has been a huge investment of money and time on the part of the civil service and the professions themselves.

The recommended Regulating Body, the Health Professions Council (HPC) has already been set up and has expressed their agreement to take on this responsibility for medical herbalists. Therefore the small further cost of introducing the relevant legislation seems to be perfectly justified.

The huge potential benefits in terms of business profitability and safeguarding of jobs is also another justification for regulation.

Another issue to be considered is the huge potential SAVINGS on the nation's drug bill that could be made, if doctors were able to refer patients with long term chronic ailments which currently have restricted treatment options (such as arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome), to a medical herbalist. These patients use up huge amounts of NHS time and money and many of these patients can usefully be supported by herbal medicine which is many cases is a much cheaper option.

Question 5: If herbal and TCM practitioners are subject to statutory regulation, should the right to prepare and commission unlicensed herbal medicines be restricted to statutorily regulated practitioners?

Yes. Absolutely. The preparation of herbal medicines requires training and proper procedures that are part of the professional training of a medical herbalist or a GMP registered manufacturing facility.

Question 6: If herbal and TCM practitioners are not statutorily regulated, how (if at all) should unlicensed herbal medicines prepared or commissioned by these practitioners be regulated?

How can the Government adequately cope with this risk without regulating herbal practitioners? It is likely that without statutory regulation, protecting the supply of such medicines to properly trained professionals, that more members of the public will access them from questionable sources over the internet or in shopping malls and market stalls, thus increasing the risk of supply of harmful herbal preparations to the public.

Question 7: What would be the effect on the public, practitioners and businesses if, in order to comply with the requirements of European medicines legislation, practitioners were unable to supply manufactured unlicensed herbal medicines commissioned from a third party, after 2011?

This would restrict public choice and potentially put practitioners and businesses out of business. Rather than buying preparations from GMP licensed or accredited manufacturers, herbalists would be making their own remedies and have a far greater burden in analysis of raw material, manufacture, quality control, testing and record keeping. This takes time away from seeing patients in the clinics.

Question 8: How might the risk of harm to the public be reduced other than by statutory professional self-regulation? For example, by voluntary self-regulation underpinned by consumer protection legislation and by greater public awareness, by accreditation of voluntary registration bodies, or by a statutory or voluntary licensing regime?

Statutory regulation is the only satisfactory way to deal with all the issues. Voluntary regulation would still not prevent unscrupulous, incompetent practitioners from posing a danger to the public. Herbal preparations should also only be made by registered herbalists and accredited manufacturers.

Question 9: What would you estimate would be the regulatory burden and financial costs, to the public, to practitioners, and to businesses, for the alternatives to statutory regulation suggested at Question 8?

Statutory regulation is the most cost effective alternative. The cost for the other alternatives would be born by the general public in terms of; not being able to get guaranteed access to safe competent practitioners, nor to herbal medicines which have been produced to high quality standards.

Question 10: What would you envisage would be the benefits to the public, to practitioners, and to businesses, for the alternatives to statutory regulation outlined at Question 8?

None

Question 11: If you feel that not all three practitioner groups justify statutory regulation, which group(s) does/do not and please give your reasons why/why not?

All three groups should be regulated. This is the Government's stated policy and the public deserves that their healthcare is treated with the proper respect and professionalism.

Question 12: Would it be helpful to the public for these practitioners to be regulated in a way which differentiates them from the regulatory regime for mainstream professions publicly perceived as having an evidence base of clinical effectiveness? If so, why? If not, why not?

No. Medical herbalists do have an evidence base of clinical effectiveness. Many pharmaceutical drugs are based on plants both historically and also in new research into cures for a wide range of illnesses from malaria to breast cancer. Many herbs have been studied in clinical trials and are the subject of research papers documenting their clinical effectiveness. Although the body of work is smaller than many better-funded pharmeceuticals, nevertheless it is significant.

Herbal medicine has a well-documented history. Many of the companies who started in the 1800's, have well documented letters from patients and reports from practitioners recording clinical results, for over 100-150 years.

The public also demonstrably understands as evidence, the millions of people who use such therapies on an annual basis. It is unethical to apply different standards of proof to one or other medical profession. Much of mainstream medicine does not have clear ‘proof’ of effectiveness but there is no presumption that such should not be used. A clinician must be free to use judgment in these matters and assess effectiveness by what the patient reports.

Additionally, statutory regulation would enable herbalists to access research facilities, patient groups and funding which would greatly aid the health care community in understanding how much the practice of herbal medicine does work.

Question 13: Given the Government’s commitment to reducing the overall burden of unnecessary statutory regulation, can you suggest which areas of healthcare practice present sufficiently low risk so that they could be regulated in a different, less burdensome way or de-regulated, if a decision is made to statutorily regulate acupuncturists, herbalists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners?

I understand the Government must be prudent in expenditure at this time. However, the health of the nation has been identified as an area which should be protected. The minimal cost to complete this statutory regulation should not pose a massive burden especially as all the work has now been completed and the regulatory body has already been established. Failure to see this project through to completion would be a dereliction of duty and the Government could be called to task for wasting tax payer’s money and failing to deliver the promised service.

Question 14: If there were to be statutory regulation, should the Health Professions Council (HPC) regulate all three professions? If not, which one(s) should the HPC not regulate?

The Health Professions Council should regulate all three professions.

Question 15: If there were to be statutory regulation, should the Health Professions Council or the General Pharmaceutical Council/ Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland regulate herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners?

The Health Professions Council should be the statutory regulator.

Question 16: If neither, who should and why?

The Health Professions Council should be the statutory regulator.

Question 17:
a) Should acupuncture be subject to a different form of regulation from that for herbalism and traditional Chinese medicine? If so, what?

No, the Health Professions Council should be the statutory regulator for acupuncture too.

b) Can acupuncture be adequately regulated through local means, for example through Health and Safety legislation, Trading Standards legislation and Local Authority licensing?

No. These bodies do not have the necessary expertise.

Question 18: Should the titles "acupuncturist", "herbalist" and "[traditional] chinese medicine practitioner" be protected?

Yes, the titles should be protected and only used by qualified, registered practitioners.

Question 19: Should a new model of regulation be tested where it is the functions of acupuncture, herbal medicine and TCM that are protected, rather than the titles of acupuncturist, herbalist or Chinese medicine practitioner?

No. Both the functions and titles should be regulated as discussed and planned.

Question 20: If statutory professional self-regulation is progressed, with a model of protection of title, do you agree with the proposals for "grandparenting" set out in the Pittilo report?

Yes

Question 21: In the event of a decision that statutory or voluntary regulation is needed, do you agree that all practitioners should be able to achieve an English language IELTS score of 6.5 or above in order to register in the UK?

Yes. It is vital for the proper care of patients that their practitioners can speak good English and can communicate properly with them to achieve a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.

Question 22: Could practitioners demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements and communicate effectively with regulators, the public and other healthcare professionals if they do not achieve the standard of English language competence normally required for UK registration? What additional costs would occur for both practitioners and regulatory authorities in this case?

No, practitioners cannot demonstrate compliance without a competency in the English language. The costs of learning English to the level required should be born by the individual (and/or professional body) to bring practitioners up to the required standards and not by the Government nor tax payer.

Question 23: What would the impact be on the public, practitioners and businesses (financial and regulatory burden) if practitioners unable to achieve an English language IELTS score of 6.5 or above are unable to register in the UK?

Transition arrangements could be made for such individuals already practising in this country, where they can demonstrate that they are not endangering patients through their inability to fully communicate. No new practitioners should enter the country to practice or be regulated without this English proficiency.

Question 24: Are there any other matters you wish to draw to our attention?

The Government has promised timetables for statutory regulation and failed to deliver on more than one occasion in the past. If it fails to deliver statutory regulation to this sector, combined with the impact of the Traditional Herbal Medicines Product Directive where hundreds of herbal remedies will be lost, the public, which makes great use of herbal medicine, will notice the loss of businesses, remedies, jobs and health care options. The loss of a traditional therapy with roots going back hundreds of years in the UK, and thousands of years worldwide is not to be countenanced.

The general public who use herbal medicine are generally well-informed and are making concious and deliberate health choices. It is no coincidence that the number of people buying OTC herbal remedies has grown consistently every year since 2002 by an average of 9% per year (Mintel 2007). To restrict their access to trained herbalists and properly manufactured preparations will drive many to self-diagnose and purchase on the internet from unverified and possibly unreliable sources, with potentially fatal consequences.

A letter to your MP, MSP or MEP about the Consultation

2009-10-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

[Your Address: Insert as appropriate ]

[MP’s Name : Insert as appropriate]
House of Commons,
London
SW1A 0AA

[Date : Insert as appropriate]

Dear [MP’s Name : Insert as appropriate]

I am writing to you to express my concern about the current Department of Health joint consultation on the Report to Ministers from the DH Steering Group on the Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and other Traditional Medicine Systems practised in the UK www.dh.gov.uk/en/consultations/liveconsultations/DH_103567

I wish to preserve the right to access a full range of herbal medicines from a professional herbalist who is statutorily registered.

It is now a matter of the utmost urgency that the Government bring forward legislation leading to the statutory regulation of herbalists.

I trust that you will raise this matter on my behalf with the Department of Health.

[Include following or delete as applicable:] I am also enclosing a copy of my response to the Consultation for your information.

Yours faithfully,

[Signature]

Sample Letter 1: A simple, personal response to the Consultation Team on the Consultation Paper

2009-10-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

[Your Address : Insert as appropriate ]

AHMTCM Consultation Team
Department of Health
Room 2 N0.9
Quarry House
Quarry Hill
Leeds LS2 7UE

[Date: Insert as appropriate ]

Dear Sir

Response to : Joint UK-wide consultation on the Report to Ministers from the DH steering Group on the Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and other Traditional Medicine Systems practised in the UK www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_103567

I find the Consultation Document itself to be too lengthy and complex to follow easily. I would therefore like to make my response to this Consultation as follows:

As a frequent user of herbal medicine, I wish to see improved quality and safety of herbal medicines which I believe can best be done through the protection of the practice of professional medical herbalists.

I wish to safeguard the right of myself and my family to have the choice of using professional herbal medicine if we wish to do so and would be strongly against any moves which threatened this right. Indeed I wish to see herbal medicine properly integrated into the health care arena making it possible for my GP/Consultant/Medical Herbalist to be able communicate and share professional responsibility for my health care.

I understand that the Government's own House of Lords report started the process of regulation of herbal medicine in 2000. The Steering Group reported in June 2008 with clear direction as to how and why herbalists should be regulated. I am in agreement with these documents.

It seems to me that all due care and process has been taken - it is now time for the Government to enact the legislation which would allow herbalists to be statutorily regulated.

Yours faithfully,

[Signature]

Sample Letter 2: Professional response letter to the Consultation Team on the Consulation Report

2009-10-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

[Your Address : Insert as appropriate ]

DH. Trust, Assurance and Safety – The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century
Extending professional and occupational regulation: the report of the Working Group on Extending Professional Regulation : Department of Health
Report to Ministers from The Department of Health Steering Group on the Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the UK May 2008
Section 12(1) of the Medicines Act and other Medicines Legislation including European medicines legislation Art 5.1 of 2001/83/EC
“A consultation on the framework for registration of health and adult social care providers”, published 25 March 2008.
Legislation on Health and Safety/Trading Standards/Advertising Legislation
Local Authority Registration and Licensing
Statutory Licensing Schemes

I have read, and am in agreement with, the responses provided by both the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and The European Herbal and Traditional Practitioners Association, and would like my response to be registered as in favour of statutory regulation for medical herbalists.

Yours faithfully,

[Signature]

What can you do to help?

2009-10-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

PLEASE ACT NOW

The consultation closes on 16^th November this year. Please do one of or all of the following:

Write to your Member of Parliament

Write to your M.P. in your own words or use our template Sample MP Letter. You can also download this template as a Word document.
Copy this to your M.E.P. or M.S.P.
You can find your M.P.'s address here

Write to the Department of Health

Write to the DoH Consultation Team, in your own words or using Sample DH Letter 1 which sets out a simple, personal response. You can also download this template as a Word document.
Or write a more professional response using Sample DH Letter 2, to request they register your opinion. You can also download this template as a Word document.
Fill in the Department of Health's Consultation Paper (download here)if you have time. You can also look at NIMH response if you wish.

Ask all your friends, family and colleagues

To visit our site at http://actnow.nimh.org.uk
To write to their M.P. and the DoH too
To pass on the word to others
To actively lobby to preserve the choice of herbal medicines for the future.

A Letter from Jane to all our members

2009-10-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

President of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists
E-mail: president@nimh.org.uk

October 2009

Dear Patient, Customer, Colleague or Friend

I am writing to you on a matter of the utmost importance. A matter that may affect your ability to buy herbal medicines in the future. It may come as a surprise to you to know that not all herbalists are qualified and nor are they regulated! Of course, all NIMH practitioners are, and I have worked hard with various national forum and working groups to ensure that medical herbalists practice at the same high levels you would expect from any healthcare practitioner.

The Department of Health has now published a Consultation Document on the regulation of herbalists. In order to protect your access to professional herbal treatment, and to allow people to have the choice to use herbal medicine, it is essential that as many of us as possible respond positively stating that we want herbalists to be regulated. I have explained the reasons for this in more depth here but in essence, if herbalists are regulated they will still be able to provide a wide range of herbal medicines.

The Consultation Document is complex and not easy to understand, so we have published our response to it on our website. On the website we have also posted a couple of sample letters which you could use if you wish to do so - a sample letter to your MP, a personal reply to DoH and a professional reply to DoH – though in order for your response to really count you should ‘personalise’ it in some way so that it is not an exact copy. Your response may not be counted if it is seen to be a standard reproduced letter.

As a frequent user of herbal medicine, I am urging you to write to the Department of Health immediately. Responses must be in by the 16^thNovember to be valid, so time is of the essence. Your letter should be sent to:

AHMTCM Consultation Team
Department of Health 
Room 2 N09 
Quarry House 
Quarry Hill 
Leeds LS2 7UE

When you write your letter I suggest that you put the phrase ‘cc Constituency MP’, and then send a copy to your own MP, at the same time as you send your response to the Department of Health. Your can find your MP by clicking here or, if you wish to do so you can contact the National Institute of Medical Herbalists on 01392 426022 and we will help you to find this information.

I know you have many calls on your time but if we want to protect the right for ourselves and our families to access herbal medicine treatment then we must act – I know that us herbalists can’t do this on our own – we need you to speak for us.

Thank you so much.

Jane Gray

The Demonstration

2009-09-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

This demonstration has now ended. Thank you for participating.

During the Demonstration from noon until 4pm at Old Palace Yard on Monday 2nd November 2009 Medical Herbalists will undertake a Mass Lobby of their MPs between 2.00 and 4pm

What to do before the mass lobby

1. Arrange to meet your MP on the day

You can turn up at Westminster any time that the House of Commons is sitting and request a meeting with your MP. However, you should do everything you can in advance to arrange a meeting with your MP. This will also involve less queuing for you. The lobby starts at 2.30pm but we are hoping to get a publicity photo before we go into the Houses of Parliament where photos are not allowed. The security requirements for entering Parliament take some time (airport type scanners) and some queuing so we should start the process from 2pm onward, in groups.

The best way to contact your MP is to write to him or her at the House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA. Most MPs also use email, and should treat emails in the same manner as a letter. You can find out your MP's email address at the following website: http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm. Remember to give your home address even in an email, as MPs have a strict rule about dealing only with their own constituents.

2. Try to get your local radio/TV/newspapers interested in the mass lobby

3. Try to get the national media interested in the mass lobby

If you have any contacts with national radio/TV/newspapers please pass the information on to them. We will be sending out a national press release but there is no substitute for the personal touch.

What to do on the day of the mass lobby

1. Take with you any correspondence from your MP confirming you have a meeting

This may shorten the amount of time you have to queue.

2. Be prepared if you are taking children

Bored children to make their own entertainment! There may be journalists present and although some are pro choice in health matters, others will be looking for an opportunity to criticise us.

4. Enter through the St Stephen’s entrance

Go in through St Stephen's entrance. You will be stopped in the Cromwell Green search area. Proceed as directed until you reach Central Lobby - the central point in the Palace between the House of Lords and House of Commons.

5a. What to do if you have a meeting arranged

There is a limit of 100 lobbyists at any one time in the Central Lobby.
Before you queue for the security check, inform a police officer or steward that you have a meeting arranged with your MP and show them any correspondence your MP has sent to you. This should allow you to go straight into the security checking area without queuing with the general public for tours of Parliament. Your MP or their staff will usually come to meet you in Central Lobby. You need to go to the desk in Central Lobby and ask the attendants to telephone your MP's office.

5b. What to do if you do not have a meeting arranged

If your MP has agreed to meet you, but not given you any details of where and when, or if you have not already arranged a meeting with your MP, you will need to queue outside St Stephen's entrance. Start at 2pm for this as it can take half an hour, depending on luck.

The police will only allow 100 people, including lobbyists and other visitors, into Central Lobby at any one time. Pass through the security check and proceed to Central Lobby. Once there, go to the desk and ask for "a green card". This is a request for your MP to come and meet you and should be filled in and returned as directed. It is important that you make clear statement your reason for visiting on the card.

This is very important because, if you do not manage to meet with your MP, the card will then be sent on to him or her. Your MP should then respond directly to you and the more he or she knows about why you were at Westminster, the better.

The desk staff will take the card and officials will be asked to look for your MP and let him or her know that you are asking to meet with them. You should wait around for a while, but don't forget that your colleague lobbyists with firm appointments to meet their MP will also be waiting, so you should be prepared to give up waiting after 20 minutes or so in order to let them in.

6. Tight Security

You will have to go through 'airport type' security to gain access to Parliament - on a busy day this can take at least 15 minutes - and you may need to queue until there is space. You do NOT need any identification documents. Check that you do not have anything that could be construed as an offensive weapon on or with you (eg penknife) and do not wear slogans on clothing, for some reason they don’t allow it.

7. Disabled Access

If you are disabled, please telephone the Serjeant2-at-Arms' office at the House of Commons, who will advise you of procedures for entering the building. (Phone 0207 219 3000 and ask the switchboard to put you through to the Serjeant's office). The Serjeant's office do allow some parking where required by disabled people, but individuals will need to verify this with the office. It is usual for one of your MPs' staff to accompany you once you enter the building. You will need to arrange this with your MP in advance. Please let me know if you have any special ambulatory needs or require any assistance.

8. Meeting your MP

Use a meeting with your MP to try to:

Give them the information they need about the Herbal Medicine issue, • Influence their views with your own knowledge and concerns for both the public’s protection and the profession’s safety record.
Explain to them that many of their constituents, some of whom are your patients, want herbalists to be Statutorily Regulated.
Ask them to raise your concerns with any relevant Ministers by meeting them and by writing to them.
Ask them to take appropriate action to show that they support your view.

It is best to be as brief, clear and courteous as possible. If they send their researcher instead, treat them in the same way. However, they may send their researcher on ahead of them if they are in the middle of something, and come to you a bit later.

You should thank him or her for taking the time to see you, establish how much time they have, make two or three key points and - most importantly - ask them to follow up the meeting. Briefing notes are useful but make sure you point out how the issues directly affect you, your business, your patients and your family.

Do not be surprised if your MP only has a small amount of time to spare you. MPs will be very busy on the day, so don't take it personally. But make the most of the time you have with them.

After the mass lobby

1. Stay in contact with your

MP Continue to try and meet your MP in their constituency to follow up on what action they have taken or to raise the concerns with MPs you are unable to meet with on the day.

2. Follow up any local or national media interest

Have a great day!
(This help sheet is based on one produced by the union Amicus.)