HRF Learning Outcomes

Explore and establish the client’s needs for complementary and natural healthcare.

Practitioners must show their understanding that all forms of complementary and natural healthcare rely on exploring and establishing the client’s needs and expectations.  They recognise that this may take place at the outset, but also during the delivery of complementary and natural healthcare.

Identifying this allows the practitioner to consider whether it is appropriate to offer the service to the client, the type of service that should be offered and any required modifications to that service.  Users of this competence will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies.

Practitioners must be able to do the following:

1. Evaluate requests for complementary and natural healthcare and take the appropriate action.  Explain the nature of the service and the fee structures to the client.

• Defining the nature of the service provided and fee structures.
• Describing the potential risks (relevant to their discipline) of various courses of action for the client.

2. Provide an appropriate and safe environment for the service. Understand how to make clients feel welcome and ensure they are as comfortable as possible.

•  Explaining the concept of health and well-being that is consistent with the practice, principles and theory underlying their discipline.
•  Explaining the importance of a suitable environment and making clients feel welcome.
•  Having knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and pathology relevant to your discipline.

3. Discuss the client’s needs and expectations, and ask relevant questions. Encourage the client to ask questions, seek advice and express any concerns.

• Recognising how the client’s previous and present care may affect their health and well-being in relation to their discipline.
• Illustrating how the psychological and emotional balance, as well as diet and lifestyle of the individual, can affect their health and well-being.
• Identifying how the context in which people live affects their health and well-being.
• Evaluating the conditions for which the discipline is appropriate and those where it must be used with caution.
• Understanding the anatomy, physiology and pathology relevant to your discipline.

4. Establish the client’s needs in a manner which encourages the effective participation of the client and meets their particular requirements.  Determine any contra-indications or restrictions that may be present and take the appropriate action.

• Discussing how to establish valid and reliable information about the client, and determine the priority of need, in order to plan the service.
• Explaining how to work with clients to determine the appropriate actions.
• Defining the appropriate actions to take to match identified needs.
• Understanding the anatomy, physiology and pathology relevant to your discipline.

5. Evaluate the information obtained and determine the appropriate action with the client. Complete and maintain records in accordance with professional and legal requirements.

• Demonstrating how to select and use different methods for exploring clients’ needs.
• Explaining how to recognise conditions for which your discipline is unsuitable and for which the client should seek advice from other sources.
• Recognising how to judge whether self-care procedure(s) relevant to your discipline are appropriate for the client.
• Understanding the anatomy, physiology and pathology relevant to your discipline.
• Demonstrating the procedures for record keeping in accordance with legal and professional requirements.

Develop and agree plans for complementary and natural healthcare with clients.

Practitioners must recognise how important it is that the planning of complementary and natural healthcare takes place through discussion and agreement with the client and relevant others (e.g. carers).

This competence is about developing and agreeing plans that meet the client’s needs.  Such plans may be subject to change as the service proceeds.

Users of this competence will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies.

Practitioners must be able to do the following:

1. Explain the available option(s) which meet the client’s identified needs and circumstances.  Explain any restrictions, possible responses and advise on realistic expectations.  Advise the client when your discipline is inappropriate and help them to consider other options.

• Describing the range, purpose and limitations of different methods or approaches which may be used for clients’ individual need.
• Explaining how to determine the most appropriate method(s) for different clients and their particular needs.
• Discussing how to recognise those occasions when your discipline may complement other healthcare which the client is receiving.
• Identifying the alternative options available to clients for whom your discipline is inappropriate.

2. Discuss the approach to be taken, the level of commitment required and the potential outcomes and evaluation with the client.  Check the client understands and support them to make informed choices.  Obtain the client’s consent and complete records in accordance with professional and legal requirements.

• Defining the role which the client (and others) may take, and may need to take, if the approach is to be successful.
• Demonstrating how to support and advise the client to make informed choices.
• Exploring how to work with the client and relevant others to plan the approach.
• Explaining why evaluation methods should be determined at the planning stage and what the client’s role will be in the evaluation.
• Describing the importance of encouraging and empowering the client to be as actively involved as possible.
• Illustrating the relationship of the client’s involvement to the promotion of their health and well-being.
• Applying the procedures for record keeping in accordance with legal and professional requirements.

Provide Hypnotherapy to Clients.

This standard covers hypnotherapy treatment for individuals.  Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies.

Practitioners must be able to do the following:

1. Select the methodologies that are appropriate for the client which are consistent with the overall treatment plan.  Discuss with the client the reasons for your choices of methodology at each stage of the treatment.  Explain the possible responses to treatment – in an appropriate manner, level and pace to suit client’s understanding.

• Explaining the principles of different approaches and their application taking into consideration their method of application and assessment of each individual client.
• Relating the links between the case evaluation and selected approaches recognising the connection between different presenting symptoms and appropriate application of a variety of approaches.
• Demonstrating appropriate treatment planning and understand the importance of initial consultation and structure.
• Identifying current methodologies, underpinning theories and codes of ethics.
• Explaining different methodologies employed in treatment (these may include but are not limited to):

a) The use of formal and informal trance.
b) The use of different levels of consciousness.
c) The use of direct and indirect approaches.
d) The use of direct and indirect suggestions.
e) Matching different approaches to different clients e.g. permissive or authoritarian.
f) The use of mechanistic approaches.
g) Relationships between different methodologies.

• Assessing possible contra-indications for particular presenting issues and understanding issues of safety and appropriateness for each individual client.
• Demonstrating the principles of selecting techniques, i.e. matching treatment to client needs.
• Recognising the importance of taking a critical approach in relation to methodologies selection.

2. Ensure the client is aware of their role in co-operating and participating in the therapy.  Discuss the role the client (and companion if relevant) must take for the hypnotherapy treatment to be successful.  Encourage them and explain how to:

a) Monitor their response to therapy and any self care exercises.
b) Note any changes in their health and well-being.
c) Contact the practitioner at an appropriate time if they have any concerns or queries in relation to their treatment.

• Identifying the importance of being aware of actions, reactions and interactions of the client by observation and discussion.
• Identifying the possible barriers to successful therapy.
• Explaining how to safely re-orientate the client at the end of the session.

3. Give clear and accurate advice with regard to any relevant aftercare.  Support the client to make informed choices.

• Re-stating the factors to consider when selecting methodology tailored to individual needs.

4. Apply the appropriate interventions that are suited to the client’s needs
Relating the links between case evaluation and selected approaches recognising the connection between different presenting symptoms and appropriate application of a variety of approaches.

• Demonstrating appropriate treatment planning and understand the importance of initial consultation and structure.
• Identifying current methodologies, underpinning theories and codes of ethics.
• Demonstrating the variety of content, structure and approach of different methodologies and the benefits and limitations of each.
• Demonstrating the principles of selecting techniques – i.e. matching treatment to client needs.
• Describing the processes for evaluating information as treatment proceeds and using this to inform future practice.

5. Evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of Hypnotherapy to inform future plans and actions.

• Recognising the importance of building review, reflection and evaluation into treatment planning.
• Recognising the importance of taking a critical approach in relation to methodologies selection.

6. Accurately record information and reflect upon the rationale for the treatment programme.

• Identifying current methodologies, underpinning theories and codes of ethics.
• Explaining the importance of observation of clients throughout the therapeutic process.