National Institute of Medical Herbalists.
1. It is illegal for anyone not a registered medical practitioner to attempt to procure an abortion: a member must not knowingly administer an abortifacient or known uterine muscle stimulant remedies to a pregnant patient, nor instruments for the purpose of procuring an abortion, nor assist in any illegal operation.
2. It is required that any intimate examinations on a patient of the opposite sex be conducted in the presence of a relative of the patient or a suitable assistant.
3. A member must not treat or prescribe any remedy for gonorrhoea, syphilis, or urinary affections of a venereal nature.
4. It is the duty of the practitioner to notify the District Medical Officer regarding any disease on the current list of notifiable diseases. In cases of industrial poisoning or accident the local district branch of the Health and Safety Executive should be notified.
5. A member must consider very carefully the implications of recommending a course of treatment contrary to the advice of the patient’s registered medical practitioner or of not recommending referral to a registered medical practitioner in the case of serious disease or uncertain diagnosis. Members must be aware of their vulnerability in law on this issue and must ensure in such a case that all available information is given to the patient and that the patient makes the final decision without coercion.
6. A parent or supervising adult must be present at any treatment or examination of a child under the age of 16, or of a mentally-retarded patient.
7. The Data Protection Act means that any practitioner keeping patient’s data on computer file must register under the terms of the Act.
8. A member must become familiar with the terms of the Medicine’s Act 1968 and subsequent statutory instruments, notably the Medicines (Retail Sale or Supply of Herbal Remedies) Order 1977. Particular care should be taken to become familiar with the statutory maximum doses of those remedies listed in Schedule III of the latter order. Detailed records of prescriptions and dispensing must also be kept.
9. The Medicines Act further states that to claim exemptions from the restrictions on the supply of certain herbal remedies, the practitioner should supply said remedies from premises occupied by the practitioner and able to be closed so as to exclude the public.
10. The Medicines Act adds that to claim the said exemptions, the person supplying the remedy “sells or supplies it for administration to a particular person after being requested by or on behalf of that person and in that person’s presence to use his own judgement as to the treatment required”. The member should avoid treatment through telephone or postal contact, although repeat prescriptions may be supplied on this basis for a limited period.
11. Dispensing and labelling of medicines should at least comply with the terms of the Medicines Act. All medicines should be labelled to clearly indicate the correct dosage or other directions for use (especially for those remedies subject to a statutory maximum dose), and with the name and address of the practitioner and the date of dispensing.
12. A member should never claim verbally or in print to be able to cure any life-threatening or serious disease.
13. The distribution or display of letter headings, business cards or practice information should be compatible with the highest professional medical standards. ... code of practice
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