Consyl Publishing & Publicity Ltd

Consyl Publishing & Publicity Ltd

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Complimentary treatment booming

ACCORDING to the last New Zealand Health Survey, around one quarter of New Zealanders visited a complementary or alternative health practitioner in the previous year.
The thriving complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) sector in New Zealand includes all health systems and practices outside of the country's mainstream health system.
Leading CAMs are acupuncture, chiropractic practices, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and osteopathy.
If you are looking to practise CAMs in New Zealand, there are a number of compulsory regulations and voluntary codes governing them that you need to be aware of.
However, except for chiropractors and osteopaths, there are no specific government regulations controlling CAM products or practitioners.
Chiropractors have to register with the Chiropractic Board. To register, you must hold an approved qualification and pay an annual fee.
Registration alone does not permit a chiropractor to practise. You also need an Annual Practising Certificate.
Qualifications needed to practise in New Zealand are:

For chiropractors trained overseas, a pass in an examination set by the Chiropractic Board.
Registration with any state or territory authority in Australia.
A Bachelor of Chiropractic from the New Zealand College of Chiropractic.

For information on registration and the certificate, see the New Zealand Chiropractic Board website www.chiropracticboard.org.nz.
New Zealand's osteopathic profession is regulated by the Osteopathic Council. The council oversees registration which includes the scope of practice, qualifications, competencies and a system for complaints and discipline. Overseas practitioners (except for some Australian-registered ones) wanting to work in New Zealand as an osteopath must pass an entry examination.
The examination comprises a practicum lasting approximately three hours and is held in New Zealand. Information on how to apply to sit the examination and more information on the council can be found on the council's website www.osteopathiccouncil.org.nz
There is also wide range of professional bodies representing other CAM practitioners and some have put in place voluntary self-regulation. The New Zealand Charter of Health Practitioners is the largest of these, representing about 75 per cent of practitioner associations.
The charter has a comprehensive self-regulation protocol. It also has a code of ethics and standards of practice. A Standards of Practice and Ethics Committee evaluates any breaches of professional conduct by chartered health practitioners. (See www.healthcharter. org.nz)
The Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights applies to all health professionals, including CAMs. The code sets out 10 rights, including the right to be treated with respect, to be free from discrimination or exploitation, to dignity and independence, to services of an appropriate standard, to give informed consent and to complain.
Most complaints about the quality of health care and disability services in New Zealand are dealt with by the office of the Health and Disability Commissioner which is responsible for the code. It is the duty of all health providers to comply with the code by ensuring that they promote awareness of it to consumers and to enable consumers to exercise their rights.
General regulations covering CAM practitioners relate to:

Misleading and deceptive conduct and false representations.
Doctors who also practice CAMs.
The manufacture, sale and supply of medicines, medical devices and related products.
Consumer rights.

There are a variety of training institutions in New Zealand offering courses in CAMs, varying in length from weekend courses to fouryear, full-time diplomas. Nationally approved courses include training in natural therapies, aromatherapy, reflexology, remedial body therapies, homoeopathy, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.
Product controls
CAM products are regulated by different pieces of legislation according to whether they are defined as a medicine, dietary supplement or food. Most are marketed as dietary supplements.
Because dietary supplements are classed as foods, it is illegal for them to be marketed with any therapeutic claims. To make therapeutic claims, products need
to be assessed and approved as a medicine.
Other general controls on CAM products include:

Consumer protection legislation, including laws against misleading and deceptive conduct.
The right of redress by patients if any goods or services don't meet guarantees.
Laws against misleading labelling,packaging and advertising.
Restrictions on maximum daily doses and therapeutic claims for dietary supplements.
A code governing manufacture and dispensing.

The Accident Compensation Corporation, which provides personal injury cover for all New Zealand citizens, residents and temporary visitors to New Zealand, subsidises acupuncture, chiropractic and osteopathy services provided by specified providers.