How to complain about a Registered Practitioner

Responsibility of the Bach Centre

BFRP logo no frame transparentThe Bach Centre registers and regulates the practice of Bach Foundation Registered Practitioners (BFRPs) in respect of their work with the system of 38 flower remedies discovered by Dr Edward Bach.

All practitioners on the Bach Centre’s Bach Foundation International Register hold a Certificate of Registration issued by the Bach Centre and are entitled to use the letters BFRP after their names. (Practitioners with specialist knowledge of working with animals may use BFRAP instead.) Registration is subject to renewal and to the practitioner agreeing to work under the Bach Centre’s Bach Foundation Code of Practice. The Code includes a full complaints procedure.

The purpose of registering practitioners is to ensure that members of the public receive competent help from suitable experienced practitioners. The public is protected by the Bach Centre having established standards of training and practice, and by the existence of a procedure enabling the investigation of complaints against practitioners.

How to make a complaint

Complaints may be made in writing or on tape. Make sure you include the following information:

  • The name (and address if possible) of the practitioner
  • Your name and address and a daytime telephone number
  • The reason for your complaint
  • Specific details of incidents with dates and locations where possible
  • Your signature (or the signature and name and address of a witness to say the complaint comes from you)

Send your complaint by letter to:

The Registrar
The Bach Centre
Mount Vernon
Bakers Lane
Brightwell-cum-Sotwell
Oxon
OX10 0PZ
UK

What happens when a complaint is received?

Upon receipt of a complaint a Director of the Bach Centre will appoint an Assessor to investigate the complaint. To insure independence the Assessor will be somebody who has had no prior contact with you or the practitioner. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the Bach Centre may suspend the practitioner from the register pending the outcome of the Assessor’s investigation.

The Assessor will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing and at the same time will send written notice of the complaint to the practitioner, inviting the practitioner to respond within a period determined by the Assessor. Note that it will be necessary to give full details of the complaint to the practitioner but that your name and other personal details will not be given to the practitioner without your prior approval.

On receipt of the practitioner’s response the Assessor will determine how the matter should be resolved and may seek to collect further relevant information or evidence from you and the practitioner to help in this process.

Upon completion of the investigation the Assessor may do one or more of the following:

  • Dismiss the complaint or reported infraction
  • Require the practitioner to undergo further training
  • Require the practitioner to make reparation to you of an amount not exceeding the cost of the consultations given to you by the practitioner
  • Recommend the suspension or revocation of the practitioner’s registration
  • Take other appropriate action consistent with the Code

The Assessor will send you and the practitioner a written copy of the decision and the reasons for it. You and the practitioner will be given a period of thirty days in which to appeal against the Assessor’s decision. Appeals must be made in writing direct to the Bach Centre.

If an appeal is not received by the due date no further investigation will take place and any failure by the practitioner to comply with the Assessor’s decision will result in immediate removal from the Register.

Appeals received from you or the practitioner on or before the due date will be considered by a Director of the Bach Centre who may gather further information including written submissions by the practitioner or Assessor or you. The Director’s decision will be final and will be sent in writing to you and to the Assessor and to the practitioner. Failure by the practitioner to comply with the Director’s decision will result in removal from the Register.

The normal legal rights enjoyed by you and by the practitioner under local law are not affected by the terms of this complaints procedure.