‘The distance does not matter it is only the first step that is difficult’

My congratulations go out to all the members that succeeded in being the first UK trained Hendrickson Method practitioners and indeed for lifting the standard and reputation of the LCSP Register. Well done one and all, and to Sue Bennett our educational officer and her support team.

I would like to thank all who attended the first regional meeting to be held in South Wales and with this being on my ‘home patch’ I did not have to travel this time. During the day prior to the evening meeting this year’s LCSP golfing tournament was held at the Celtic Manor Resort and the winner was Steve Foster the Secretary in a very close finish. So my first duty of the evening was with great pride to present the cup to Steve.
The CPD presentation of using ‘outcome measures’ at the evening meeting was very well received with later a good question and answer session on a variety of topics. At the end of the evening all were filled both in body and mind and the camaraderie was a joy to see.
Moving on in time, I was called to the doctors for a routine MOT, when my blood pressure was checked it was 250 over 101!  So off to hospital for a week for me and a barrage of tests none of which could explain the readings so on a Friday afternoon I was discharged and on the Sunday I set off for a planned holiday to Americas Golden West travelling from Seattle to San Diago and up to Las Vegas before coming home. From temperatures in excess of 100 degrees then back to a very wet and cold Wales,
Make every day count.

Viv.

At last all the discussions and decisions have been made and advertising is now allowed on the GCMT website.  But not just any old advertising.  GCMT has raised the standards across massage and it is this level and above GCMT is advertising.

GCMT has had 500,000 hits in the last six months and a search for the following categories brings GCMT up on page 1 of Google!

• Massage Therapy
• Massage Therapy training
• Massage Regulation
• Massage Standards
• Massage Therapy Olympics
• Massage Therapy volunteer
• Sports massage standards

Most visited pages?

• Education (training and schools)
• Professional Associations
• Standards
• Work of the Council
• FAQs

So GCMT is getting it right and the website is clearly being accessed by considerable numbers of the public in their desire to know more about our therapy and its practitioners.

What are the standards required?

The GCMT standard is required, as a minimum level. www.gcmt.org.uk/standards1.asp
LCSP Register members generally exceed the minimum requirement of GCMT, and in the light of this GCMT would like to invite you to list yourself, and the services you offer on the governing body website. www.gcmt.org.uk/practitioners.asp .

Schools are also being invited to list training courses and CPD events.

GCMT have come to realise that students and massage therapists alike often want to do some voluntary work, whether for case studies or additional experience or even just because they can.  GCMT is just beginning to look into this and currently there is a notice in the Education section of the website.

GCMT is a not for profit organisation and this means the listing fees are very competitive.

• Practitioners (GCMT member professional associations and/or CNHC)
•  one off set up fee of £15, plus £15 per annum

GCMT aims to provide good standard and up to date information to the therapist and the public, become the “One Stop Shop” for Massage Therapy.

To take advantage of this advertising and promotional opportunity contact the GCMT direct at www.gcmt@btconnect.com

PS, there is a 20% discount for all applications received, by 31/8/10.

London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

London 2012’s official Games-time Volunteer Programme will launch this summer. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) will recruit volunteers from across the UK.
Volunteer roles:  There will be two kinds of Games delivery volunteer – specialist and generalist.
Specialist volunteers – will have specific existing skills or qualifications that are needed for them to complete the role, for example, sport or medical training.
Generalist volunteers – will not need any special skills or qualifications and will receive all the necessary training. They might be given roles in areas such as spectator services, Olympic and Paralympic Village operations or uniform distribution.
Specialist opportunities in Medical Services include Sports Massage Practitioners.
Working within their scope of practice, Sports Massage Practitioners will use their knowledge, skills and experience to provide sports massage services to athletes, both before and after competition. Sports massage volunteers must understand the importance of working within a multidisciplinary team and refer to other members of the medical team when necessary. The team will include chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists.
Depending on the sport and venue, volunteers may be based in the Athlete Medical Centre or on the field of play.
Who can volunteer?
LOCOG aims to recruit volunteers who will bring passion, enthusiasm and energy to the Games. In addition, volunteers must:

• Be 18 years old by 1st January 2012;
• Be available to volunteer for a minimum of 10 days at either, or both, of the Games;
• Be eligible to volunteer in the UK according to UK immigration laws;
• Be able to attend a minimum of three training sessions prior to the games;
• Agree to undergo, and pass certain security and background checks.

Applicants for specialist sport volunteer roles must also be available for the Test Event in their chosen sport.

Sports Massage Practitioners must also:

• Be certified to the Qualifications and Credit Framework in Sports Massage Level 4 or equivalent or have worked full time in elite or professional sport for a minimum of two years at the time of application (2010);
• Have suitable professional liability insurance to a minimum of £2 million;
• Have been qualified for at least three years at the time of application (2010);
• Hold a current basic first aid in sport or life support qualification;
• Be an excellent team worker and good communicator;
• Have knowledge of the World Anti-Doping Agency policy – for more information visit www.ukad.org.uk

How to Apply
If you are interested in volunteering as a Sports Massage Practitioner, and you meet the above criteria, you can register your interest now. E mail your CV and a 100 word expression of interest to physicaltherapies@london2012.com
Every applicant will be expected to go through the full LOCOG recruitment process, which will include completing an application form and attending selection and training events.
Further information can be obtained from physicaltherapies@london2012.com
For more general information on the Games-time Volunteer Programme and details of other ways to volunteer in your local community visit: www.london2012.com/volunteering

“The life so short, the craft so long to learn”

Prior to this year’s Annual General Meeting I went to Cambodia and Vietnam, a superb trip with such a variety of cultural differences and cuisine, everything about the trip was enjoyable and the weather was perfect too. On my return I drove from Wales to Preston for the AGM, arriving late, which is not good for the President. In my defence there were two separate incidents on the motorways, It always seems to happen to me when travelling, ‘motorways don’t like me’ for some reason. However, the meeting went well and I was re-elected as President for another year, thanks to each and every one of you for this continued honour and privilege.

I have just recently attended in London the Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Arthritic Association to which I was invited in my capacity as President of the LCSP Register. During the presentations the Arthritic Association who have very many thousands of members of the public who are affected with arthritis in its various forms stated their intention to expand the service offered to the public by having a National Network of accredited practices where people could attend for treatment for their respective conditions via the Arthritic Association direct referral. The LCSP is well respected for its quality of service and professional approach and as such has been included in the preferred suppliers of treatment. As more details become available of how members can become involved with referrals from the Arthritic Association I will pass them on.

London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games:
London 2012’s official Games-time Volunteer Programme will launch this summer. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) will recruit volunteers from across the UK.
Volunteer roles:  There will be two kinds of Games delivery volunteer – specialist and generalist.
Specialist volunteers – will have specific existing skills or qualifications that are needed for them to complete the role, for example, sport or medical training.
Generalist volunteers – will not need any special skills or qualifications and will receive all the necessary training. They might be given roles in areas such as spectator services, Olympic and Paralympic Village operations or uniform distribution.
Specialist opportunities in Medical Services include Sports Massage Practitioners.
Working within their scope of practice, Sports Massage Practitioners will use their knowledge, skills and experience to provide sports massage services to athletes, both before and after competition. Sports massage volunteers must understand the importance of working within a multidisciplinary team and refer to other members of the medical team when necessary. The team will include chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists.
Depending on the sport and venue, volunteers may be based in the Athlete Medical Centre or on the field of play.

Who can volunteer?
LOCOG aims to recruit volunteers who will bring passion, enthusiasm and energy to the Games. In addition, volunteers must:

• Be 18 years old by 1st January 2012;
• Be available to volunteer for a minimum of 10 days at either, or both, of the Games;
• Be eligible to volunteer in the UK according to UK immigration laws;
• Be able to attend a minimum of three training sessions prior to the games;
• Agree to undergo, and pass certain security and background checks.

Applicants for specialist sport volunteer roles must also be available for the Test Event in their chosen sport.

Sports Massage Practitioners must also:

• Be certified to the Qualifications and Credit Framework in Sports Massage Level 4 orequivalent or have worked full time in elite or professional sport for a minimum of two years at the time of application (2010);
• Have suitable professional liability insurance to a minimum of £2 million;
• Have been qualified for at least three years at the time of application (2010);
• Hold a current basic first aid in sport or life support qualification;
• Be an excellent team worker and good communicator;
• Have knowledge of the World Anti-Doping Agency policy – for more information visit www.ukad.org.uk

How to Apply
If you are interested in volunteering as a Sports Massage Practitioner, and you meet the above criteria, you can register your interest now. E mail your CV and a 100 word expression of interest to physicaltherapies@london2012.com
Every applicant will be expected to go through the full LOCOG recruitment process, which will include completing an application form and attending selection and training events.
Further information can be obtained from physicaltherapies@london2012.com
For more general information on the Games-time Volunteer Programme and details of other ways to volunteer in your local community visit: www.london2012.com/volunteering

]]> http://www.lcsp.uk.com/2010/07/29/from-the-president-15/feed/ 0 http://www.lcsp.uk.com/2010/04/28/from-the-president-14/ http://www.lcsp.uk.com/2010/04/28/from-the-president-14/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:37:31 +0000 Website Support http://lcsp.noworriesmarketing.co.uk/?p=422 ‘Yesterday is not ours to recover,
But tomorrow is ours to win or lose.’

I set out for the regional meeting leaving from Newport to Paddington and then across London to Kings Cross and on again by train to Cambridge, a short taxi ride later and I arrived at the Holiday Inn, a total travelling time of 4 hours. It was during that very cold period and there was snow but the journey was easy, comfortable and I was more than happy to let the ‘train take the strain’

At the regional meeting, our secretary Steve Foster gave an outstanding presentation on the use of Outcome Measures in Physical Therapy with lots of questions being asked afterwards, I had to call time so we could move onto the buffet and drinks. It is refreshing to see members interacting, exchanging ideas and getting together for a common purpose and all for free with a CPD certificate thrown in.

On the subject of CPD, I would like to thank the Education Sub-Committee who have undertaken the evaluation process of those members who were randomly selected to have their CPD activities checked. Also I sincerely hope that any HPC registered members in the physiotherapy category that may have been selected by the HPC for the random CPD checking in 2010 has not been founding wanting in their respective portfolios.

After the meeting at Cambridge I took the opportunity to spend a couple of days on the East Coast under the watchful supervision of our Secretary, he has a delightful property no more than 50 metres from the beach, which he is the first to say is all thanks to the skills he has acquired as a therapist and the support of the LCSP Register. I enjoyed the winter sunshine and crisp cold air as we walked miles along open sandy beaches just with the sea and our thoughts for company. On the return leg of the walk comfort and rest was sought in a hostelry not far from Steve’s home, the rest of that day is another tale for another time!!!

Naturally, my visit was an opportunity to see for myself the administration office in Lowestoft, I was and indeed am very pleasantly surprised at the LCSP office, it has a High Street location with the frontage sign written giving us a high profile and visible presence, such a contrast to the previous office with its dark flight of stairs and just one very tarnished small name plate. The office itself is bright and airy, well organised and equipped. Steve together with Christine and Margaret serve us all very well and has made the Register itself far more approachable on a day to day basis.

As your President now, I am enjoying the opportunities at the Regional meetings to meet more of you individually. We have historically been rather isolated in our working practices and now we have these chances to meet with fellow practitioners in and around our localities and share experiences, ideas and expertise. I look forward to meeting more of you on my home patch in Newport, Wales on July 9th. In the meantime I thank you for the positive comments that have been received by the office and by myself personally, I had a very nice communication from Mrs P. Wilson who is based in South Africa and has been a member since 1967, she looks forward to our regular newsletters and was thrilled with the key ring as a permanent reminder of the Register, similarly my thanks go to Gill Crosland for her letters of support for the Registers activities in general.

Tomorrow is your future, it is up to you to win or lose it.

Viv  Pugh

The only child of David and Phyllis Pugh and a Baptist, I have two daughters and a wife that has been in a residential home with vascular dementia for the last seven years.

When I started junior school the teacher found that I was left handed, this was frowned upon then, so I was made to put my left hand behind my back all day or be caned.

As a boy I joined the St. Johns Ambulance Association for first aid and the band which I enjoyed. At the age of fifteen I started work as an apprentice boiler maker and welder in a large engineering works and moved on to be a boiler maker.  After a number of years I left to go and work in a smaller engineering works as the workshop superintendant and first aid officer with a work force of eighty men. In a down turn in the early 80’s, I had to sack twenty men. I realised it was time for me to move on, but to do what?

One Saturday shopping with my wife I found a magazine with an advertisement in it for course at the NIM for Remedial Massage, so I sent off for the application forms and enrolled, this was in 1982. My boyhood days with the St John’s Ambulance helped me with my basic anatomy and the first parts of the course work. I completed the test papers and sent them off. After that I went to Bath for my first practical weekend with Miss Betty Honeybone the NIM tutor, which I enjoyed particularly as I was the only male in the class. I moved on with my lessons and practical training in Bath, Blackpool and London.   At one of the seminars Ken Woodward who was principal at that time of the Northern Institute said start practising, so I did, initially on family and friends  and then eventually onto patients who paid for treatments.  I started my practice working evenings and gradually built up to five full evenings a week after a short number of years. A decision had to be made, and I gave up my engineering job and was then in full time practice five days a week which at the time was a giant step for me especially with a family.

I was then asked to work at the rugby club where I had played years before to assist the medical staff and the club doctor this I continued to do up to my retirement and  was made a life member of the club for my work.

My son-in-law saw the benefits of our work and joined my practice after qualifying and continued working with me for a number of years until he moved to Canada to start a practice in Victoria. After he left, Daughter number two, Jo, had also qualified through the Northern and was working evenings in the practice, she has since taken on the practice full time as I have now retired.

I am honoured and privileged to be your President in this our 90th anniversary year, this position has been occupied by very many worthy individuals and I sincerely hope to emulate them and bring honour onto the profession generally and the LCSP Register in particular.

V. S. Pugh  FLCSP (Phys), FRSPH, PMBC

Going live
January 19th was an exciting day for CNHC as that was the day the on–line register officially opened. Massage therapists were the first group to be eligible to apply for registration and we are now seeing a steady stream of applications. We hope that many of you reading this article have already registered or are in process of doing so. If you are not sure whether to register or not, please read on and we may help you to decide!

What is CNHC?
Just a quick reminder – what is the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council? CNHC is the UK independent regulatory body established in order to protect the public by regulating complementary healthcare practitioners on a voluntary register. It is NOT a professional association which is established to support practitioners by, amongst other things, the provision of a variety of benefits. Fortunately both types of body need to work together to ensure effective standards for professional education and practice.

Who’s ‘on board’
CNHC have been having formal and informal discussions with all those groups who were part of the Foundation for Integrated Health’s regulation programme and all but one are now committed to working with CNHC in some way. The majority are offering information for their members to ensure that they can make an informed decision as to whether they wish to register with CNHC, once they meet CNHC’s entry requirements.
We have a very provisional timetable for when the practitioners from the various professional groups might be ready to start applying for registration, as follows: those marked with an asterisk have already formed, or are in the process of forming, a Profession Specific Board (PSB)
January: massage*; nutrition* (already in hand); May : aromatherapy* (confirmed); June: Yoga*; July: Shiatsu*; Jul/August: reflexology*; September/October: Naturopathy; Alexander technique; November/December: Cranial Sacral; Reiki.
We are delighted to see such a level of involvement. We are still having informal discussions with homeopathy to ensure they are aware of CNHC’s activity and progress.

Why should you register?
Being registered with the CNHC will provide a number of professional advantages for the registered practitioner. The CNHC tick will be recognised by the public as a mark of quality and can be used in marketing material in a variety of ways. The Department of Health has given strong support to the CNHC formation in a number of ways, for example through start-up funding; and through the Health Minster’s positive statement in the January Press Release. A variety of employers have already approached us wishing to use the CNHC register as evidence of quality assurance, for example, Nuffield Pro Active wish to only employ those registered with CNHC by the end of 2009. Health insurers are also similarly interested in CNHC registration.

Have you registered?
If you have not already registered please check the LCSP web site for further details. If you are already on the GCMT register then check with Steve Foster, as there may be further financial savings available to you.
Please contact us on info@cnhc.org.uk
Or by phone on 0203 178 2199

Maggy Wallace
Co Chair CNHC

Documents:
CNHC – Kitemark.
CNHC – Advantages of Registration.
CNHC – Code of Conduct.
CNHC – Request to Register.

The General Council for Massage Therapy was formed and became the governing body representing massage, and we were all asked to join for a modest £10.00 fee. If you remember, the Register paid the first year subscription for all our Members. Steve Foster and Melvyn Eyres have been actively involved from the beginning and have held appointments on the Council of the GCMT regularly attending meetings and representing our interests. However, we are all aware that any form of legislation does take time and whilst there did not appear to be large forward strides to the casual observer, the regulatory wheel was turning and this year we reached the next phase. On Monday 19th January we saw the launch of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. We were able to mention it briefly in your last newsletter and we urged you to look at the website (www.cnhc.org.uk) this is a Government initiative designed to protect the public by vetting complementary health practitioners, and only giving their seal of approval to well qualified, responsible professionals. As such professionals I do not think we can ignore this initiative. I think this will probably be the last chance we, as massage therapists, have to become registered and be recognised as the skilled practitioners we are. Currently the annual fee to join this organisation is £45.00 and you have to give references. However, Steve Foster has managed to negotiate a fee of £30.00 for members of the LCSP Register and the Register itself will provide you with the required professional and character references. I do urge you to think carefully about the future of our profession, and how, supporting the CNHC by becoming a member, could have a positive benefit. It will only work if we support it. If you are interested the application forms are available on the Register website.
By the time you receive this letter we will have attended a regional meeting in Edinburgh. The next regional meeting will be on Friday 10th July in Stratford-Upon-Avon,  I hope to see some of you there.

God Bless
Beryl

The CNHC was founded in April 2008 and officially launched by Ben Bradshaw, Minister of State for Health after significant preliminary research undertaken by and through the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health together with complementary healthcare practitioners. This whole start up process has been underpinned and financially supported by the Department of Health and it is the Government that is committed to establishing the CNHC as the national voluntary register in the complementary healthcare field.
The CNHC is suggesting that there will be potential benefits of membership including possible GP and PCT referrals and medical insurance recognition.

We strongly recommend that you peruse the CNHC website to acquaint yourself fully with this organisation and this will give you more information and hopefully assist you in reaching your personal decision regarding membership of this register.  (www.cnhc.org.uk ).

For those that do wish to register, the required documents are available for download from here.   The LCSP has negotiated a discount with the CNHC and the registration fee payable for LCSP Register members will be £30 instead of £45, this is because the LCSP Register will facilitate your registration by providing CNHC with your details and provide them with a professional reference for you.

It is important to state that this register is voluntary and non registration with the CNHC in no way restricts your ability or right to practice your therapy as you have done previously.

Documents:
CNHC – Kitemark.
CNHC – Advantages of Registration.
CNHC – Code of Conduct.
CNHC – Request to Register.

This has been due to the efforts of several of our Council Members and our Secretary Steve Foster. I think Steve has to take the credit for keeping our organisation up and running, because he is the one that has overseen all of this, and ensured that it all happened. Our thanks also go to Mark Fairclough, for painstakingly going through all the above and bringing them up to date, and to Sue Bennett for arranging the CPD workshops. I personally am grateful to all of the Council Members for the interest they show in ensuring the future of our Register and their contribution to the Council Meetings they attend. My thanks also go to Margaret and Christine for the efficient and friendly way in which they run our new office.

I think on the whole Ken Woodward would be quite pleased with what we have achieved to date, however, I could almost see him shaking his head with disapproval at one Council decision we made, when we agreed to hold our meetings in different parts of the country and take the opportunity to meet our Members. Sadly this has not been as successful as I would have liked. I think the best attended meeting was the one in Cork, followed by the one held in October in Leeds. Everyone who attends the meetings are delighted, they all comment that they go away feeling they have learned something, and of course they do accrue some CPD credits, but the numbers have been so disappointing. Being the eternal optimist that I am, I can only assume that you are all well satisfied with the way the Council are running your organisation and are happy for us to continue without any involvement of you the members. If any of you should wish to be involved, we will be visiting Bath, Edinburgh and Stratford during 2009, and we look forward to seeing you at any of those venues.

It was with great sadness I learned of the passing away of Dr.Myk Hungerford, on the 16th December 2008. Myk was a tremendous inspiration to me. I had the privilege of working with her several times during our relationship, both as a tutor, when I visited California to attend her Sports Massage Course, and a fellow student when we attended a workshop together in Palm Springs presented by George Kousalias, and later when she visited England I assisted her in her workshop. She was an amazing lady and will be sadly missed throughout the Massage profession.

Everyone is talking about the credit crunch and the affect it is having on our society. Hopefully, the combination of the lengthy waiting lists for NHS physiotherapy, and the reluctance of people to take time off work for any health problems, more people will seek our help and our businesses will continue to thrive.

I wish you all a Happy. Healthy and Prosperous 2009

God Bless

Beryl

Health Care Professional… Landlord…Employer…Clinic Owner…who are you and how are you seen by your patients?

Recent years has seen tremendous growth in “multi therapist” clinics, with a myriad of Health Care Professionals offering a choice of complementary and alternative treatments under one roof or in some cases a single discipline such as physiotherapy and massage offered by a group of professionals under one roof.

The opportunities offered by these business models are quite clear and the resultant services are attractive to the populace. The concept is also practical for those in practice who do not wish to burden themselves with running the “clinic”.  Practitioners who have recently graduated and those looking for temporary positions are often attracted to this type of business arrangement.

When it comes to identifying responsibilities within the business, the Clinic owners and practitioners in the clinic often assume that, as each therapist has his/her own liability insurance, everything is OK!

This is a fair assumption but in today’s litigious environment it is not sufficient. By working under a corporate identity made up of more than one practitioner you create a third person, the Company, which attracts collective responsibility for the actions of individuals within that Company.

Let’s break down the relationships and the possible gaps and look at the potential problems these can create:

Relationship between the Clinic and the Practitioners

Is there an employee/employer relationship?
Is the practitioner merely renting a room?
Is the practitioner generating his own patients or is the Clinic sourcing the custom?
Who owns the patient/patient records if the practitioner leaves?
Is the practitioner insured? Will that insurance remain in force perpetually, especially if the practitioner was globetrotting and has left the country – i.e. has no incentive for continuous cover in the UK?
Who is responsible if a patient trips over a loose floorboard? The practitioner who the patient came to see or the owner of the clinic who maintains the property?
Who is liable if the patient complains about the treatment? The clinic or the practitioner?

Relationship between the Clinic and the patients

Who does the patient pay – the Clinic or the Practitioner?
Does the patient view the clinic as the supplier of the treatments or the practitioners?
When a soft tissue masseur undertakes part of the treatment process does the patient expect the physiotherapist, who passed the treatment process to the masseur to be responsible if something were to go wrong?
If so, what will happen if a claim is made against you – will your insurers deal with a claim arising from a fault on the part of the masseur?
Put yourself in the patient’s shoes – what is the actual impression given? WHAT IS THE PATIENTS PERCEPTION of the relationship(s).

Relationship between the Practitioners and the patients

Who owns the patient/the patient records?
Who is responsible for non-clinical services that the patient may require – appointments, documents, invoicing?
All party relationship

Is the patient and the practitioner completely satisfied with their respective expectations of the services offered by the clinic and the dividing lines as far as responsibility and ownership is concerned?
————————–
Just some things to consider and all may not apply in your particular case or perhaps you attract other issues and problems.

The key message I am trying to convey is that you should get comprehensive advice from your solicitor and your insurers as to what your exposure and options may be. If the issues are approached in a logical manner at the outset they need not be a problem and are easily resolved by having in place suitable contracts and/or through taking out appropriate insurance.

It is not necessarily expensive or complex but needs to be addressed before the absence of agreements, and lack of clarity of intention, turns it into a problem.

In future editions, I will be delighted to expand on any particular area with a more detailed synopsis of the problems and solutions – contact your Secretary Steve Foster, or indeed myself over any general or specific issues that concern you the most.

Asgar Hassanali
Howden Medical Insurance Services