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News Letter – February 2010

From the Chairman; Mac Thacker

‘I hope you appreciate our efforts in putting together this 2nd newsletter and we really hope you will respond to us with some feedback positive or negative. This helps us to keep in touch with you and gives you an opportunity to give us your thoughts and feelings. It would help let other members know what is happening in other areas and you may have a point that they are thinking themselves but dare not ask. So once again could you please put finger to keypad and let me know what is happening in your Clinic life, have you any question that you would like to ask? Have you any funny stories that have happened to you in your practice? Have you any advice to other members? Have you any suggestions for CPD subjects? Have you any comments about either the NAMMT Website or this newsletter? We do need your input to make this Newsletter interesting and informative to all our members. Remember that we do not need to publish you name if you don’t want us to, so long as the subject is acceptable for publishing.

 Please remember that all members should be fulfilling the NAMMT recommendation on CPD’s.  The  GCMT guideline requires that you fulfil 18 hours CPD each year.  NAMMT requires you to do 20 hrs. (12 hours formal, 8 hours informal). But remember that attending the A.G.M counts as 6 hrs. We are going to put on other CPD’s to help attain the other 6 Hrs of formal training leaving just informal CPD’s i.e. Reading, watching videos, meeting other practitioners and “talking shop.” There are lots of other “informal ways to get CPD’s totalling up. But remember to record all details. It may seem that this Newsletter is devoting itself to CPD’s. All we are doing is trying to explain how important it is. It’s not as if we have any financial gain in requiring members to comply with the requirements as any CPD’s that we put on. NAMMT would not make anything out of it.

One of the things that I would like to comment on concerns speaker(s) for the next Annual General Meeting. We are looking for some interactive subject, as we had last year, where we had a bone density scan that was a great success. One item suggested was to have a well “person” section where blood pressure, height, weight, body mass index, possibly a blood glucose checks would be available and a Fat V Sugar contest.

The committee are still meeting to discuss NAMMT business but increasingly communicating via e- mails. As you will see from their contribution certain things are being discussed without the need to have to physically travel half way across the country although for some things do have to have a face to face meetings.

As the recession is supposed to be coming to an end then hopefully some of our struggling members will see an increase in the treatments as people realise that it may be a false economy to put off treatment. Obviously if you haven’t got the money then that tends to make the decision for you. The advice I give patients is, especially those who do not get paid if they are off work, is if I get you back to work only one week earlier then my fees would be worth it.

Clinic Health

I have noticed that there is one subject that has come to my attention. That is clinic clean practices.

As we know it would be ideal to have a sink in the treatment room where practitioners could wash there hands after each treatment but unfortunately that is not always possible so the use of Alcohol Hand Gels is recommended.

 Having paper plinth towels is great if the treatment is Remedial Massage that will not require the patient moving for different treatment techniques as much, as Manipulative Therapy does. This would soon “ruck up” the towels and become both uncomfortable and untidy.  But things like putting a couple of kitchen towels or tissues around the face holes, especially if the patient is a female with make up on is practical.  I would suggest too that “wet wipes” are used to wipe the body after applying oils after massaging. 

One thing that quite a lot of practitioners miss is the fact patients walk in off the street with their shoes on. They then could be walking around the treatment room. Obviously they will (or should) take their shoes off for treatment and some take their socks off or indeed might not be wearing any. This could leave patients vulnerable as the previous patient may have brought something onto the treatment room carpet. Or possibly even worse could have a foot infection like athlete’s foot or a verruca. What I do, which I agree is not 100% safe, is to ask patients when they remove their shoes if they do not wear socks, to put on a pair of throwaway plastic overshoes on. These are relatively cheap (£2.95. per 50 pairs). I have found that patients respect the reason and I have had not one refuse or complain yet.

It is worth remembering to check your shoes as well.

 I also have a box of masks that I can wear if I have a cold and explain to the patients that I don’t want then to catch it. I find they sometimes reciprocate by them asking if they should or could wear one if they are unwell themselves. This started when I was recovering from bowel cancer and had a very low immune system and was advised to take every care not to catch a cold or flu.

I also have a box of latex gloves that I may wear if there is any skin condition that I am not happy with and obviously change the covers after their treatment. But obviously if it is infectious I would not treat the patient and wait until they have been treated by their G.P.

 These are a few steps that you can take to safeguard both you and your patients and I can say that most of the patients agree to comply when it has been explained fully to them. Always have a good supply of towels and tissues.

You may find that dry skin can build up in computers keyboards and in the ball socket on the mouse. If you have dark colours in your treatment room remember it will show up dandruff and other debris. Therefore these items may need a lot more dusting than other colours.

You may think that these are good ideas or going over the top. I think it is something worth thinking about.

From the Secretary; Alan Inger

I have now attended two NAMMT committee meetings and I am impressed by the commitment to establish a professional organization.  The society is relatively young; however, a great deal has been achieved to demonstrate sound principles and prestigious values.  For many years I have heard therapists calling out for a society that it’s members can effectively challenge and mould to current day requirements.  The National Association of Massage and Manipulative Therapists, was formed by therapists for therapists.  Our primary objective of the NAMMT is to represent Remedial Massage and Manipulative Therapists across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. We like to think that we are there for our members when we are needed to help and advise. 

The NAMMT web site has items of interest to help you, whether you are a new student or a seasoned practitioner. You may even be someone who is interested in massage, manipulative therapy or just NAMMT itself.  You can find news, research items, members and other articles of interest.  We hope you find the website interesting and informative. If you have any comments or anything that you may think we would like to know please get in touch.

In the last newsletter I said that I should like to offer a paediatric workshop at The Tiny Tim’s Children’s Centre in Coventry.  The idea is to offer some time exploring working with children who have disabilities and special needs.  At the time of writing I have not had any enquiries about this offer.  The date is 26^th June 2010.  This workshop should count as formal CPD hours 

From the Membership Secretary; Joe Lloyd

Well it’s that time of year again, membership renewal. Please will you read the form carefully as last year I spent a lot of time (and I don’t get paid) sending incomplete forms back, asking people to send a copy of their insurance or members not complying with NAMMT CPD policy. It is part of the conditions of your insurance that you comply with NAMMT policy (we in turn commit to comply with GCMT policy). We are a professional organisation with professional members and as such need to show that we are professional by our attitudes to CPD and our commitment to NAMMT.

 I would like to meet more of you at the AGM.  It is free to attend.  We had some fun at the last one as was reported in the last newsletter. We have a very isolated job so what better than to get together once a year to meet new friends and old ones too, plus take in a couple of speakers (we try to find speakers who are going to be interesting and where possible interactive.  (If you know a good speaker please let us know about them).  Ideas are always welcome.  Attendance, remember, counts as 6hrs formal CPD’s.

 It would certainly be nice to put faces to the many names from all over the country that I have read on the membership forms, or spoken to on the phone. If you mislay your membership/renewal form it is now available to download on the NAMMT website.

Please note: If any members have applied for CNHC membership and not completed registration they will be deleted from the CNHC register if they do not complete within the next month.

From the Treasurer; Michael Berry

PAYE ANNUAL CODING NOTICES 2010 –11

There has been a warning issued in some of the business press that some incorrect tax codes may have been sent out by HM Revenue & Customs because of a new computer system.

This could affect those of you who perhaps work part-time doing your therapies, and have other paid work with an employer.

It applies to the annual coding notices sent to individuals and employers from January to March 2010, which will then apply to earnings from April 2010.

The problem appears to lie with a new computer system being used by HMRC, which is being used to share the data of both Tax and National Insurance collections.

The Chartered Institute Of Taxation has said that the new database “was failing to distinguish between current jobs and old ones, leading to tax codes being calculated on the assumption that someone has more than one job”.

Also that some people were having their personal allowance split between two jobs, or allocated entirely to a job they no longer had, which would force their current employer to deduct too much tax.

Therefore, if you do receive a tax code notice for the coming year please read it thoroughly. If you believe your tax code to be incorrect then get in touch with your tax office straight away, using your National Insurance number as your reference.

From the Research Development and CPD Member;

Pauline Stuttard

Continuing Professional Development  

Your membership will be due for renewal in April this year and you will be asked to provide evidence for 20 hours of CPD over the past 12 months. How time flies. It is time to reflect on what you have done to update yourself over the last year and identify what you may need to do for 2010-11.  I have placed a new sample CPD activity form on the web site to try and help with this. A combination of formal and informal activity is suggested. Just to remind you that at the last committee meeting it was agreed that 12 hours should be formal and 8 informal. It is wise to keep your professional portfolio up to date with copies of any study days you have attended, and evidence of professional updates and learning.

We understand it can be difficult for some members to attend formal study days for a variety of reasons, not least the cost of training and the current economic climate. Business may have taken a dip for some of you and money is often a barrier to professional development. However, your ongoing development is crucial if you are to remain competent and up to date and it is important to plan for the year ahead. The committee is hoping to sample a few of our members’ professional portfolios in the year ahead and establish how they are developing.  Your submission of CPD evidence this year will be collated and analysed so that we can establish how far our members are meeting their CPD requirements. I will be writing a report about this for the committee so that we can discuss how to help our members. Remember, if you do have any comments or questions about this issue let us know.

From the Regulatory Affairs Member; Derek Turner

Complementary therapies are moving apace it seems in registering for self-regulation with the CNHC.  In January 2010 CNHC opened its register to Yoga therapists and teachers of the Alexander Technique and is shortly to open for Bowen practitioners.

In this vein, a development NAMMT is closely watching concerns Sports Therapists.  Some of our members are also members of the prestigious Society of Sports Therapists, a body actively pursuing statutory regulation (not self-regulation) with the Health Professions Council (HPC).  In a recent, seemingly un-related, development the CNHC has looked at Sports Therapy and indicated it will open its own register to sports therapists.  i.e. the CNHC is to open its register offering self-regulation for Sports Therapists.  This would seem to fly in the face of the work of The Society of Sports Therapists, which is strongly pursuing statutory regulation.  Furthermore, NAMMT can report that four of the GCMTs massage PAs, (FHT, CThA, ISRM, STO) are proposing forming a body to go forward to represent the interests of sports therapists to the CNHC.  Such a body, if properly constituted, would represent sports therapy in the same way that the GCMT represents massage therapy.  I can confirm that all massage techniques would remain with the GCMT and none would be under any new body so formed.  NAMMT is watching developments closely and will keep its members duly updated in this potentially conflicting regulatory area.

Volunteers for the 2012 London Olympics/Paralympics.  Volunteers are required in the following physical therapies:  chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy, and sports massage.  Info at:   www.london2012.com.   NAMMT is pursuing what the required massage qualifications needs are.

From Lay Member; Geraldine Alker

At this time of year you may find that in addition to your NAMMT Membership becoming due for renewal your Medical Malpractice/Liability Insurance is also due. NAMMT have negotiated a very competitive premium rate with Balens Insurance Brokers on a comprehensive policy.

The Premium Rates are as follows: -

The full policy wording and application form can be downloaded from the NAMMT website. You can also contact Balens Insurance Brokers by telephone on 01684 893006 if you have any queries.