Hypnotherapy in the United Kingdom

Since 2010, the Health Professions Council in the UK has regulated the practice of medicine, psychology, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, etc. They ensure that practitioners are genuine, registered, and meet national standards. There is also a move for psychotherapists and counsellors to be regulated by the HPC in the near future. Hypnotherapy is not covered by HPC regulation.

Hypnotherapy is currently unregulated in the UK. However, following recommendations made by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology (1999), discussions have taken place into the voluntary self-regulation (VSR) of hypnotherapy. This process was originally overseen by the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health, which closed down permanently in May 2010. The Prince's Foundation supported the endeavours of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) who have been involved in discussion with UKCHO and WGHR over the voluntary self-regulation of hypnotherapy in the UK. It is claimed by WGHR that in a survey they conducted it determined that only 7% of the profession want to see VSR via the CNHC and that the majority of hypnotherapists do not see themselves as "complementary therapists" and want to see discrete regulation for the profession. WGHR has not published the survey. UKCHO has conducted no such survey, but is a democratic body that represents the views and policies of its constituent organisations.

Major concerns have been raised over hypnotherapy entering the CNHC. Notable among them is that hypnotherapy is a talking therapy such as counselling rather than a complementary therapy like reflexology. The CHNC also has been widely criticised for registering therapies and therapists without reference to the evidence base for their practice. In addition, the CNHC complaints procedure would allow for hypnotherapists to be complained about by other hypnotherapists, irrespective of whether the complaint relates to actual therapy with a client, and that this complaint could then be made public. Finally, many hypnotherapists question the validity of "VSR" arguing that if it is voluntary it offers no public protection.

Various grades are used across the organisations to indicate the level of training, qualifications, and experience of hypnotherapy practitioners. Because different standards are used by different registers, it is difficult to compare practitioners. Usually, terms such as Licensed, Registered, and Accredited signify that the practitioner meets the requirements of the register. Terms such as Associate or Affiliate may be used in various ways. The Hypnotherapy Society uses "Associate" to distinguish members who are not considered ready to practice and Licentiate, Member, and Accredited Member for those who are. Only professional members are listed on the website. For example, the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) uses "Associate Membership" for anyone with an interest in hypnotherapy, but you are not listed as practitioner or are able to use the NCH name, logo or any membership grade letters. NCH Full members are clearly defined as either 'Registered' or 'Accredited' and every NCH qualified member has access to an NCH seal that updates daily.[1] By comparison GHR Affiliate Grade (available at Foundation Course level of 50 hours) does confer use of GHR logo, membership grade letters and, critically, a listing in the Registered Hypnotherapist directory pages of the GHR.

Note: Probably the essential point for the public is whether an organisation lists a therapist in their public directory of registered, practising hypnotherapists or not – rather than whether the grade is Licentiate, Affiliate, Accredited etc.

National Occupational Standards[2]

In 2002, the Department for Education and Skills developed National Occupational Standards for hypnotherapy linked to a National Vocational Qualification based on the National Qualifications Framework under the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. And thus hypnotherapy was approved as a stand-alone therapy in the UK. There are now many training schools which claim that their qualifications are "nationally recognised" or "conform to national occupational standards" but there is no way of independently verifying this. In 2010, NOS were revised via Skills for Health and the HRF. Present at the meetings for NOS revisions was Liz McGelligot, who is also Membership Officer for the Hypnotherapy Society, albeit acting in her capacity as a member of the Forum. The new revised standards are much smaller than the previous set.

Claims to be "the largest" professional hypnotherapy body can lead to perceived market leadership, increased status with hypnotherapists and even influence the future direction of hypnotherapy regulation. For example, the GHR claims to be the largest hypnotherapy organisation with 3,000+ registered hypnotherapists – however does that mean paying members or merely practitioners on its database? Indeed, claimed numbers have changed considerably over the years for this organisation.

It is notable that some major hypnotherapy organisations have little transparency – especially with regard to board members, trustees, controlling interests, Annual General Meetings, election of officers and use of funds.

For example, the Hypnotherapy Society claims income in excess of £104,000 per annum. Yet there are no published accounts to show what the income is used for.

The General Hypnotherapy Register has unpublished income – however if one is to believe the claim of 3,000 members then income is above £220,000 per year. The costs of the GHR are likely to be minimal with a simple website, a monochrome 4 page quarterly newsletter and a home office run by the owner, William Broom. (However this is a commercial for-profit entity and is not comparable to the actual members associations.)

In comparison, it may be seen that some historic hypnotherapy membership associations, such as the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH), more commonly publish their accounts and other structural information annually.

To achieve greater transparency membership associations could published accounts and other relevant organisational information on their websites.

• Hypnosis
• Hypnosurgery
• Psychotherapy

• Savage, G.H, The Harveian Oration on Experimental Psychology and Hypnotism Delivered before the Royal College of Physicians of London, October 18, 1909, Henry Frowde, (London), 1909.