The Health Minister wants to reassure businesses that an updated Health and Social Care Bill aims to ensure public safety and is not a money making exercise.
Claire Christian said that the new bill, which is at consultation stage, is not aimed at those offering complimentary services such as massages or nail treatments.
The bill will expand regulation to include medical, dental, and allied health services, but will not regulate life coaching, mentoring, or nail technicians.
In a nutshell, the bill would affect those businesses who deal with needles or are prescribed.
Health & Social Care Bill
Last week, businesses raised their concerns having read the consultation on the Regulation of Healthcare and Social Care Services Bill.
Businesses were concerned for a range of reasons, from fee costs and whether their business was affected by the bill.
Speaking to Manx.News, the Minister expressed her view on the impact of fees on small businesses and the importance of clear communication to avoid misunderstandings.
Not All Businesses
Ms Christain said: “Unfortunately, there’s been some misinformation that I hope I can give reassurance to small businesses and independent self employed people that, you know, we’re not looking to bring under the legislation, people that are giving services like life coaching or mentoring or Reiki or nail technicians.
“I think we all agree that those services are, are not services that need to be to be regulating. The idea, the concept, really is, you know, if you if you provide a medical procedure, or if you provide a procedure that perhaps involves needles or prescribing, then we want to make sure that those businesses are registered.
“They will be regulated under a risk based approach. So it will basically be, within every five years, they’ll be have assessments and and basically, it’s really to give the Isle of Man public, that assurance that the services that they are receiving and give them the confidence that the services they’re receiving are absolutely of high safety standards.”
Not Prescribed, Not Affected
Manx.News asked how some therapies would be affected, such as hypnotherapy, the Minister said: “So to give that example of would they be covered so a standalone hypnotherapy service, such as those that offer perhaps relaxation or smoking cessation or general well being, they do not require registration.
“However, if hypnotherapy is provided as part of a treatment plan for diagnosis for mental health condition by a regulated healthcare professional.”
Ms Christian explained that these are life choices and her department are certainly not trying to stop those life choices being hindered in any way:
Benchmark With UK
Talking about the fees, the Health Minister told Manx.News: “We haven’t actually proposed any fees for the extended regulations.
“What the fees structure that currently exists, which is, you know, in the public domain, or for existing providers, like nursing care providers, care workers, things like that.
“We’re at the stage right now where we are consulting on the fair assessment of how we would structure the costs. So I think that’s really, really important.
“And you mentioned, obviously the UK, and of course, we will absolutely benchmark any costs with the UK that are and do come forward as proposed.”
‘I get it’
As a former business owner herself, the Health Minister empathised with those who are worried about the Bill, she said: “I ran a small business, I know paying the £345 a year fee for just to register as a limited company, how that affected my cash flow.
“At certain point in the year, and how it was, you know, frustrating to have to pay for that at some point, you know, and as a business owner, you have to manage those things.
“So I do appreciate that any sort of additional cost is a burden. But at the same time, the UK currently do regulate these areas, and we need to be able to offer our Manx residents the same regulation.
“You know, we need to be able to offer the same assurance.”
Who It’ll Impact
Professions and activities that will fall under the new Bill:
Health care professionals:
- GPs
- Midwives
- Nurses
- Dental practitioners
- Dental hygienist
- Dental therapist
- Dental nurse
- Dental technician
- Orthodontic therapist
- Biomedical scientist
- Clinical scientist
- Operating department practitioner
- Paramedic
- Radiographer
- Psychologist
- Podiatrist
- Chiropodist
- Physiotherapist
- Hearing aid dispenser,
- Prosthetist
- Orthoptist
- Dietician
- Speech and language therapist
Activities:
- Providers of personal care for people who, by reason of age, illness or disability are unable to provide it for themselves. This does not include personal care provided by family or friends. Personal care relates to regular assistance in feeding, dressing, washing and toileting
- Accommodation for people who require nursing or personal care
- Accommodation for persons who require treatment for substance misuse
- Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
- Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1998
- Surgical procedures
- Diagnostic and screening procedures
- Management of supply of blood and blood derived products
- Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely
- Maternity and midwifery services
- Termination of pregnancies
- Services in slimming clinics
- Nursing Care
- Family Planning Services
- Secure accommodation for children
- Care for children
- Care and accommodation for children
- Adult day care
- Supply or introduction of child carers
- Adoption services
- Fostering services
- Residential family services
- Non-surgical cosmetic procedures
Not For You
Below, are the activities that fall outside of the scope of the new bill, however if any of these activities involve the use of instruments or equipment which are inserted into the body, or injection of a substance, the removal of tissues, cells or fluids from the body, the use of equipment in order to examine cells, tissues and other bodily fluids or the application of light, heat or threads they may fall under the scope of the Bill.
- Beauty treatments such as manicure, pedicure, non-prescription facials, manual hair removal (waxing, threading), haircut and colour, etc
- Energy healing flowers
- Chakra cleanse and balancing
- Reiki
- Flower psychometry
- Colour therapy
- Breathwork
- Belief coding
- Mind navigation
- Passing over ceremony guides
- The wonder method
- Naturopath
- All types of massage therapy
- Aromatherapy
- Reflexology
- Craniosacral therapy
- Mindfulness
- Bereavement counselling
- Anticipated grief and loss therapy
- Relationship therapy and coaching
- Medical herbalist
- Nutritional health programme
- Food intolerances
- Dutch hormone tests
- Integrative medicines testing
- Thermography
- Emotional alchemy
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