Changes to the National Occupational Standards - please sign this petition

09/08/2023

Changes to National Occupational Standards are being requested without the input of homeopathy.

THIS IS NOT A CHANGE TO LAW BUT IT WILL RESTRICT OUR RIGHT TO PRACTICE HOMEOPATHY


Thanks to Homeopathy International it has come to light that a request has been made to add two new requirements to the National Occupational Standard CNH1.

Addition 1: Knowledge and Understanding

Add requirement: 'The claims for your discipline that can be made in your advertising including on social media'.

Addition 2: Performance Criteria

Add requirement: 'Comply with the Advertising Standards Authority Non-Broadcast Code of Advertising and section 4 of the Cancer Act 1939'.

What would the changes mean?

Should this change be made; it would mean 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 can have a significant impact on our ability to advertise our services, obtain insurance, obtain a Special Treatment Licence, or defend ourselves 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.

ACT NOW

These changes have been proposed during the holiday period and with a closing date for responses of 14th August 2023.

If you are a practitioner of homeopathy or a user of homeopathy, please sign the Stakeholder Petition.

Thank you!