The UK Reiki Federation - Voluntary Self-Regulation
Regulatory Body
The UK Reiki Federation (UKRF) has been fully involved within the Reiki Regulatory Working Group (RRWG) discussions on regulation. The UKRF supported the RRWG's withdrawal from the Federal Working Group (FWG) early in 2008 as it believed that their proposed model for regulation was not the best option for Reiki practitioners; the aromatherapy and reflexology groups also withdrew. Following the conclusion of the FWG project, the regulatory board being set up was the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) which should become active mid 2008. RRWG also decided that it would not become a single therapy regulator but would evolve into an advisory or lead body for Reiki.
The UKRF also looked at the regulatory group set up by the BCMA i.e. the British Complementary Therapies Regulatory Council (BCTRC) which was initially set up to cover therapies not included in the Federal Working Group or CHNC. A third regulatory group, which was the first to be launched and active in October 2007, is the GRCCT (General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies) and this evolved as a result of the withdrawal from the Federal Working Group of aromatherapy, reflexology and reiki, which covers the vast majority of complementary therapists. After considering all options and models of regulation proposed, the UKRF concluded that the GRCCT offered by far the best option for practitioners. Initially the GRCCT covered regulation for Reiki, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Massage, but other therapies are gradually being included.
GRCCT (General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies)
The GRCCT register became live in October 2007, and had its official launch on 6 June 2008. With the GRCCT each profession has its own Voluntary Self Regulatory (VSR) group (i.e. lead body such as the RRWG) which feeds into the GRCCT. Each VSR group would send a member to sit on its Federal Regulatory Council. The Federal Council is composed of equal numbers of lay and professions, and is chaired by an elected lay chair.
The registration fee is £30 for practitioners who are members of the professional associations such as the UKRF, with £5 for each additional therapy to be registered. The fee for practitioners who were not members of one of the professional associations is £130 as they would need to be vetted in a different way.
The GRCCT Website is: www.grcct.org
The UK Reiki Federation feels that the GRCCT model would be the most suitable
for its members. However, each practitioner should make their own decision
as to which is most appropriate for their particular circumstance.
See also: