EMAIL: An Invitation to comment on draft National Occupational Standards October 2004 Draft National Occupational Standards have been developed and are now available to view and comment on for the following individual therapies: * Spiritual Healing * Reiki Dear Colleague, You have been sent this email as you may have a specific interest in any of the above disciplines, or have access to practitioners or education and training providers of these disciplines, and who may wish to contribute to this development work and provide feedback. Please forward this email to relevant contacts/members. Skills for Health is the Sector Skills Council for Health within the UK and is the Government approved Standards Setting Body for Health Sector professions. Skills for Health works with Professional and Regulatory Bodies to develop competency frameworks and Professional Standards of Competence (also known as National Occupational Standards) that are recognised by government office and Education and Training institutions, and have a positive role in defining the Profession and good practice within it. As detailed descriptions of good practice (in outcome terms), they include performance criteria and scope of practice (ie what must be demonstrated and in what context), and the knowledge requirements to underpin good practice. Integral to this work is the development of Assessment Guidance and Qualification Structures. National Occupational Standards are supported by Government Departments in the four UK countries as having a key role in professional regulation and within qualification and accreditation regimes. Development Process: These Draft Standards were developed by drawing on the expertise of representative groups of Practitioners (which also includes representation from educational establishments). The nominated groups represented the various ways the individual disciplines are practiced and provide a UK wide perspective). Draft Standards Work on the standards has resulted in Draft National Occupational Standards, along with related Assessment Guidance, and Qualification Structures, which are now ready to be consulted on, feedback from which will assist in further refining and improving the standards, following which they will be finalised and made available for use. Feedback Guidelines You are invited you to download (and comment on) the draft standards from the Skills for Health website www.skillsforhealth.org.uk , and we welcome any feedback you wish to make. Further specific guidance on feedback is on the website. A series of short (half day) workshops are also open to Practitioners, Membership bodies and Education and Training providers to meet with others to discuss the draft standards. Locations are: London 9th Nov 2004 Glasgow 10th Nov 2004 Belfast 11th Nov 2004 Cardiff 16th Nov 2004 Birmingham 17th Nov 2004 York 18th Nov 2004 Workshops for Healing will run from 10.00am until 12.30pm. Workshops for Reiki will run from 2.00pm until 4.30pm. Anyone wishing to participate in this way as an opportunity to contribute to this important work should contact Tom Lane, Project Manager tom.lane@skillsforhealth.org.uk as soon as possible. Places are limited and further details will be sent as soon as available. Those wishing to attend workshops should provide their Name, Preferred workshop location(s) and an indication of their interest (ie as a Practitioner, Trainer etc). Comments and feedback are invited from all discipline specific groups, individual practitioners and education and training organisations. It is not intended to limit feedback in this respect and you may wish to further circulate this information as appropriate. The closing date (all four disciplines) for this consultation exercise is Friday 24th December 2004 and comments should be sent (in advance of this date), to diane@dg-associates.demon.co.uk or by post to: DG Associates, Fairfield House High Street Swineshead Boston PE20 3LH Fax: 01205 821029 This email has been sent to a variety of discipline specific groups, a number of umbrella organisations, some individual practitioners, and others with related links. It is not intended to limit feedback to this listing and I would be grateful if you can further circulate this (email) notification to colleagues / members / groups, as appropriate and relevant. The consultation documents may also be put onto your own websites if you wish. A zipped copy of the documents can be supplied for this purpose, (or in the event of difficulty accessing the website or documents), on request by contacting Tom Lane, Project Manager. email: tom.lane@skillsforhealth.org.uk . We look forward to receiving your comments Regards Tom Lane Project Manager Skills for Health 1st Floor Goldsmiths House Broad Plain BRISTOL BS2 0JP Tel: 0117 922 1155 Web: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk