Nationally Recognised - Distance Education
Naturopathy

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Regulating the profession

In the absence of government registration for natural therapists it is the professional associations that currently regulate and represent natural therapists to Governments, Professional Indemnity Insurance companies, Health Funds, The Federal Therapeutic Goods Administration and of course the public at large.

They also provide their members with regular newsletters, continuing education in the form of seminars and updates of what is happening within the profession.

In general they play a very important role and for this reason the College encourages its students to join a professional association as a student member as soon as they start with the College.

What to look for in an association

While the College cannot recommend any one professional association over any other, we do suggest you ask these types of questions of any you are considering joining:-

·          Do they have a fully democratic constitution allowing you to have a vote?

·          Do they have a strong code of ethics for members?

·          Are these rules policed to ensure quality of membership?

·          Do they have provisional membership allowing early practice opportunities?

·          Do they offer health fund benefits?, *TGA exemption certificates etc

·          What are the costs of membership?

·          Do they have a competitive **Professional Indemnity Insurance policy for members?

·          Does the association have a good reputation?

*TGA - Therapeutic Goods Administration of the Federal Government - and they have empowered associations on Schedule 1 or the regulations to issue TGA Advertising Exemption Certificates to their qualified members as evidence of their practitioner status for the purpose of obtaining Practitioner Only Products.

** Professional Indemnity Insurance protects the practitioner against certain malpractice litigation from patients.