CMC Register provides clear information about recognition and registration within complementary therapies. This includes the categories CMC recognises or registers, the requirements that may apply, and the evidence needed for a review.
Our aim is to make the process easier to understand for training providers, practitioners, students and graduates. The sections below explain the different pathways and clarify what CMC status means, while keeping a clear distinction between CMC recognition or registration and statutory regulation or government accreditation.
The standards behind CMC recognition
CMC recognition is based on defined requirements and supporting evidence relevant to the category being considered. The aim is to provide a clear basis for review, so that training providers and practitioners understand what information is expected and how their application or status is considered.
We believe recognition should be straightforward to understand and consistently communicated. Requirements, professional responsibilities and status information should be presented clearly, while the scope of CMC recognition remains distinct from statutory regulation, government accreditation or any claim that a therapy is clinically effective.
- At a glance
REVIEW STAGES
The recognition pathway can be presented as a clear sequence from documentation and review through to the applicable decision and ongoing requirements. Exact stages should follow CMC’s current process.
CORE AUDIENCES
CLEAR DISTINCTION
CMC recognition or registration should be clearly distinguished from statutory regulation, government accreditation and claims of clinical effectiveness unless formally supported.
- What is covered
What CMC recognises
CMC recognition is applied to defined areas of complementary-therapy education and professional practice. The relevant requirements depend on what is being considered, so it is important to understand the distinction between a training provider, a qualification or certificate, and any individual professional status offered by CMC.
1. Training Providers
Provider recognition: CMC works with complementary-therapy training providers whose programmes and documentation are submitted for consideration under the applicable CMC requirements.
2. Courses & Certificates
Qualification recognition: CMC recognition may relate to eligible training programmes, qualifications or certificates, subject to the relevant requirements and review process.
3. Practitioners
Practitioner status: Where CMC offers individual practitioner registration or recognition, eligibility is based on the applicable qualification and supporting evidence. The exact practitioner pathway should reflect CMC’s current published requirements.
4. Therapies & Disciplines
Defined scope: Where CMC recognises particular complementary-therapy disciplines, the scope and criteria should be clearly stated so that recognition is not interpreted more broadly than intended.
* Recognition applies only within the scope and criteria defined by CMC.
- Training Providers
Recognition for training providers
CMC works with complementary-therapy training providers that wish to have their relevant programmes or qualifications considered for recognition. The process is designed to give providers a clear understanding of the information, documentation and evidence required for review.
Once the relevant information has been submitted, CMC reviews it against the applicable requirements before reaching a decision. Where recognition is granted, the provider should understand the scope of that recognition, any conditions that apply and any ongoing responsibilities associated with maintaining its status.
- Practitioners
Recognition for practitioners
For practitioners, CMC recognition or registration provides a way to understand the requirements associated with professional status, where an individual practitioner pathway is offered. The relevant requirements may include evidence of training or qualification, identity and other supporting information required by CMC.
The process should make clear what evidence is needed, how information is reviewed and what responsibilities apply after recognition or registration. Practitioners should also understand the scope and duration of their CMC status and any renewal or update requirements that apply.
- Students & Graduates
From training to professional recognition
Completing a complementary-therapy course is an important step towards professional practice, but it does not automatically create CMC recognition or registration. The next steps depend on the qualification, the relevant CMC pathway and the requirements that apply.
CMC provides information to help students and graduates understand how their training and supporting documentation may relate to recognition or registration, where offered. This includes understanding what evidence may be required, whether an application is necessary and what CMC status means.
What CMC recognition does and does not mean
CMC recognition confirms that a provider, qualification, practitioner or other defined category has met the requirements CMC applies within the relevant recognition pathway.
It gives the holder a clear way to understand their CMC status and the scope within which that status applies. Recognition should always be considered alongside the specific requirements, terms and responsibilities attached to that status.
What CMC recognition means:
A defined professional status
Recognition indicates that the relevant CMC criteria have been met for the category under consideration.
A stated scope
Recognition applies only to the provider, qualification, practitioner or other area specifically covered by the CMC status.
Clear professional expectations
Where applicable, recognised parties are expected to understand and maintain the requirements and responsibilities associated with their status.
Information for students and the public
CMC status can help people understand the professional or educational standing that CMC has recognised within its own framework.
What CMC recognition does not mean:
Not statutory regulation
CMC recognition should not be presented as the same as being regulated by a UK statutory regulator.
Not government approval
CMC status should not be described as government approval, endorsement or accreditation unless there is specific evidence supporting such a claim.
Not proof of clinical effectiveness
Recognition does not, by itself, establish that a therapy is clinically effective or medically validated.
Not a substitute for legal requirements
Practitioners and providers remain responsible for complying with applicable UK laws, professional obligations, insurance requirements and other relevant duties.
Important: CMC recognition and statutory regulation are different forms of status. The meaning and scope of CMC recognition should always be understood from the specific criteria and information published by CMC.
Common questions
Understanding recognition and registration is easier when the process, requirements and limitations are clearly explained. The answers below cover the most common questions about CMC status, applications and professional responsibilities.
Where a specific requirement depends on the relevant CMC pathway, the applicable criteria should always be checked before submitting an application.
Need more information? Requirements can vary according to the type of recognition or registration being considered. For questions about your individual circumstances, contact CMC before submitting an application.
CMC recognition may be relevant to training providers, practitioners, students and graduates, depending on the recognition or registration pathway available.
Training providers may seek recognition for relevant programmes or qualifications. Practitioners may be able to apply for individual recognition or registration where a practitioner pathway is offered. Students and graduates may need to complete their training and obtain the required qualification evidence before progressing through any applicable CMC process.
Eligibility is determined by the requirements applicable to the particular pathway. Completing a course does not, by itself, mean that CMC recognition or registration has automatically been granted.
The documents required depend on what is being considered and the relevant CMC pathway.
Depending on the application, supporting information may include qualification or course documentation, evidence relating to the training provider or programme, identity information and other documents required for review.
Applicants should provide complete and accurate information and should retain their original certificates and supporting records. The exact document list should always be checked against the requirements applicable to the application being made.
CMC recognition means that the relevant category has been considered against the criteria CMC applies within its recognition framework and that the applicable status has been granted where those requirements have been met.
The meaning of recognition depends on what has been recognised. Recognition of a training provider, course or qualification is not the same as recognition or registration of an individual practitioner.
CMC status should therefore always be understood in terms of its specific scope, applicable criteria and any conditions or responsibilities associated with it.
The duration of CMC recognition or registration depends on the particular status and the applicable CMC requirements.
Where a renewal period applies, the holder may need to complete the relevant renewal process and continue meeting any ongoing requirements associated with their status.
The exact recognition period, renewal cycle, fees and continuing requirements should be confirmed from the applicable CMC terms before publication. The current website specification does not provide those details.
No. CMC recognition or registration should not be described as statutory regulation.
CMC’s role is distinct from regulation by a UK statutory regulator or other government-established regulatory body. CMC status should also not be described as government approval, government endorsement or government accreditation unless a specific and formally supported basis exists for doing so.
This distinction is important so that practitioners, training providers, students and members of the public can understand exactly what CMC status represents. recognition
Where CMC provides a public register or other verification facility, members of the public should use the information published by CMC to check the relevant status.
Verification should be based on the current information held or published by CMC rather than on certificates, logos or claims made independently by a practitioner or training provider.
The current website specification identifies public verification as something to address, but it does not confirm the exact public-register mechanism. That mechanism should therefore be inserted once verified.
Where the applicable requirements have not been met, CMC may be unable to grant the requested recognition or registration.
Applicants should first review the requirements for the relevant pathway and make sure that the requested evidence and supporting information have been provided accurately and completely.
Where an application does not meet the applicable criteria, the outcome and any available next steps should be communicated in accordance with CMC’s established process.
The current source does not specify the detailed process for unsuccessful applications, reconsideration or appeals, so those procedures should be added only after they have been confirmed. recognition
CMC should provide a clear process for raising concerns about its services, recognition decisions or the conduct of those covered by its published procedures, where applicable.
A complaint should normally include enough information for the matter to be understood and reviewed, including relevant dates, details of what happened and supporting information where appropriate.
Complaints should be handled according to CMC’s published complaints procedure, including any requirements concerning acknowledgement, review, response and escalation.
The current Recognition page links complaints information to the Standards & Public Information page, but the source HTML does not provide the actual complaints procedure. The final wording should therefore be aligned with CMC’s verified complaints policy rather than inventing response times or escalation stages.
