License to practice from the council
Hi there, can anyone advise whether I should have a special treatment license from the council to practise massage. I have heard that a qualification and membership to a professional association is sufficient. My understanding is the license is more related to the premises. I work from my own home, hire a treatment room and also as mobile massage, so I am not sure. Many thanks
Replies
Good morning Sarah
I have had issues with councils before regarding this I found this helped
Premises,
where special treatments are provided for gain or reward, must be licensed. This includes residential or other premises where the provision of the special treatment is ancillary to the main use of the premises.
Special treatments fall into one or more of the following categories:
• massage
• manicure includes false nails
• acupuncture
• tattooing includes semi-permanent make-up
• cosmetic piercing
• chiropody includes pedicure
• light, electric or other special treatment of a like-kind
• vapour, sauna or other baths
The Council's guidance, the A to Z of special treatments (PDF), lists various special treatments that can only be provided at licensed premises. In addition, the Council will only accept the following acceptable qualifications.
Acceptable qualifications
+
Some premises, such as hospitals and nursing homes are exempt from needing a licence; as are premises where the special treatment is provided by a person specified in the Act as being exempt, example, a doctor, or by a member of an exempt
of health practitioners. Which looking at CTHA we are bodies of health practitioners.
Unless someone knows different I had issues because I wasn’t regulated as I was taught BTEC massage but that’s depending whether you need special licence..
kara
Hi Sarah and Kara,
Best to contact your local Council directly or check on their website under licensing. Whilst being a member of CThA means your exempt, each Council still has its own policies/procedures. My own local Council, even though it accepts my exemption via CThA, it still requires me to register by applying for an exempt practitioner's license annually which I am charged an admin fee for. Every year I have to fill out the same form, send in proof of all the qualifications that I wish to be listed for etc. The only charge, if there is any for an exempt registration should be an admin cost, but this can vary. For example if they require a Dbs. this would increase the admin amount. More and more Councils are following a similar method. Best to double-check.
Elayne :-)
To Sarah,
Just to add to previous message, for mobile massage going to clients home - should be all ok. For your own home and at a clinic (freelance, rental/room hire), best to double check with the local Council etc.
Elayne :-)
Hi Kara and Elaine,
Thank you both very much for the information and letting me know about your experiences. I have emailed the council for next steps, so I will post up here to let people know what the response is, in case it is useful to others.
Sarah
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