Minutus

Hi Steve,

I am very happy to know that you have posted info about this situation - I hope that you were also able to include the e-petition. It is imho a time to get the public motivated.

I have emailed both the ARH and the SOH to ask for advice so I didn't step on toes, impact anything that was already going on and I have not had any response from either place - the fact that you are sending info out reassures me that I should carry on.

Thanks for your offer to post future info.

Regards,

Carol

Carol Boyce, MCH, CCH, RSHom (NA)
Director of Education
The Homeopathic Symposium
www.homeopathicsymposium.com
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Hi Simon

This subject has come up before and, again, I think you are being a bit unfair to the organisations. A permanent campaigning body would have to be funded unless someone (you?) is offering to do it pro bono. Homeopaths complain about their subs as it is and most people working for these organisations (ARH certainly) are giving a lot of their time at low cost for the benefit of their colleagues as it is. We are not an affluent profession and hence the importance of supporting publicly funded bodies who are in a position to organise research and have staff available to fly the flag for homeopathy. I very much doubt anyone said to you that they were too busy arguing amongst themselves. They more likely asked if you were offering and told you what if anything they were in a position to pay!!

If we want a permanent trained staff to represent us we would be paying enormous subs and grumbling about that. Yes, it would be cheaper to run if there was only one registration body and maybe that is a reason for rooting for one but be ready to get your cheque book out!

BW

Theresa
Simon wrote
It still stuns me that there's no central office for us ( homeopaths)
to deal with this and that our efforts for PR/media response/
marketinbg of homeopathy and issues like this current one are left
largely uncoordinated.

I put it to each of the registering bodies at various times but their
response was along the lines of "we are too busy arguing among
ourselves to spend time arguing with the media" - at least that's
what it sounded like to me.

Sorry to be blunt about that but I tried and it was like banging my
head against a brick wall
(here come the rebuttals - but they still won't get on with it)

keep up the good work!

Put it this way: if the organisations that represent homeopaths took the money they spend arguing over who should rule the roost and put it into paying someone to do marketing we would get somewhere.
(Im not laying the blame at the door of the ARH btw.)

Simon

That's the problem Steve, it's lovely that you have sent info out to members, Im sure they appreciate it - but tell me how much that has changed public opinion about homeopathy and what effect it has it had on lobbying for homeopathy?

it's not the members that need the info it's the public

Simon

I am as frustrated as you, in many respects, and so are the rest of the ARH Board; we are not arguing about 'who rules the roost' with CORH but a total transformation of how homeopathy is to be regulated in the UK. If we get it wrong, we will pay the price for many years.
So yes, we are perhaps open to the accusation of contemplating our navals at the moment; but once CORH gets going (and there are still major issues about the structures and procedures, and the affordability of these for many practicising homeopaths) the ARH is committed to doing more on the public opinion side. But remember, once CORH is operating it will not be set up to do this, and there is no absolute certainty that any of the existing registering organisations will survive! It will depend on how many homeopaths choose to join a professional body once they have already paid to join CORH and the single register.
So there are big issues - and ARH is in the forefront of trying to sort out something sensible. Once that's done I agree with Simon - we just have to improve our media presence.
Steve Scrutton
Homeopath
Registrar, Alliance of Registered Homeopaths
www.stevehomeopath.co.uk