Updates Last update Thursday 5th November 2020
What the updated Regulations say
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 (updated on 3 November), states that the following businesses are to close:
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14. Spas.
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15. Nail, beauty salons, hair salons and barbers.
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16. Tanning salons.
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17. Massage parlours.
But that the following businesses are permitted to stay open:
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47. Dental services, opticians, audiology services, chiropody, chiropractors, osteopaths and other medical or health services, including services relating to mental health." (page 32).
Having consulted with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), if you are a qualified member of the FHT and providing a therapy service to support a client who has a physical or mental health condition or injury, and this is clearly indicated in their consultation form, it is the FHT's understanding that this could be defined as offering a 'health service'.
Specific points the government has confirmed for FHT members
As we know a lot of our members work alongside or receive referrals form statutory regulated health professionals, we asked BEIS to clarify a number of points, specifically around this type of work. They have confirmed that:
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Therapists working alongside statutory regulated health professionals, such as doctors and nurses, will be able to continue to provide therapy services (eg. in hospitals and hospices), where the therapy service is part of the overall healthcare plan for patients.
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Therapists who rent a room in clinics alongside osteopaths, physiotherapists and other statutory regulated health professionals, who refer clients to them for medical reasons, will be able to continue treating these clients.
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Therapists who receive direct referrals from a statutory regulated health professional will be able to continue providing their therapy service in a private setting (eg. the therapist's home/ the client's home).
As a member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists I am able to provide treatments during the national lockdown in November 2020.
