Chinese Herbal Medicine & the
Register of Chinese Herbal
Medicine (RCHM)

About The Practitioner

Like many practitioners, Kevin first became interested in complementary therapies following a period of sustained illness. The effect of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine on his health was so significant that it motivated him to explore oriental medicine further.

After three years’ study of Shiatsu at the European Shiatsu School, Kevin then completed four years’ training in Acupuncture at the Northern College of Acupuncture in York. Following this he successfully completed a further three year MSc validated course in Chinese herbal medicine under the clinical supervision of Dr Cheng Hao Zhou.

Work History:

Since moving to Plymouth in August 2000, Kevin has set up a private Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine practice in Mutley and has practised from clinics in the Barbican, in Tavistock and more recently in Liskeard.

Since 2003, he has also worked at the Hamoaze House “Acupuncture De-tox drop in centre” , Mount Wise , Plymouth . This drop-in centre – funded by the government via DAAT - provides free auricular (ear) acupuncture to patients with substance misuse problems. He also provides full body acupuncture and offers Chinese herbal medicine, to clients who have been referred from the centre.

Kevin worked for over 2 years at St Luke’s Hospice in a voluntary capacity alongside a small group of complementary practitioners, predominantly dealing with pain management and emotional problems associated with terminal illness.

Being active within the community, he regularly gives talks on acupuncture and herbal medicine to various groups including the homeless and local schools. He has also written a number of articles for the local press and has appeared on local radio.

Special interests:

Kevin has a special interest in chronic disease, especially the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, depression, skin and respiratory conditions.

What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?

Chinese herbal medicine is one of the great herbal systems of the world, with an unbroken tradition going back to the 3 rd century BC. Yet throughout its history it has continually developed in response to changing clinical conditions, and has been sustained by research into every aspect of its use. This process continues today with the development of modern medical diagnostic techniques and knowledge.

Because of its systematic approach and clinical effectiveness it has for centuries had a very great influence on the theory and practice of medicine in the East, and more recently has grown rapidly in popularity in the West. It still forms a major part of healthcare provision in China, and is provided in state hospitals alongside western medicine.

Chinese medicine includes all oriental traditions emerging from Southeast Asia that have their origins in China. Practitioners may work within a tradition that comes from Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan or Korea. It is a complete medical system that is capable of treating a very wide range of conditions. It includes herbal therapy, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and exercises in breathing and movement (tai chi and qi gong). Some or several of these may be employed in the course of treatment.

Chinese herbal medicine, along with the other components of Chinese medicine, is based on the concepts of Yin and Yang. It aims to understand and treat the many ways in which the fundamental balance and harmony between the two may be undermined and the ways in which a person's Qi or vitality may be depleted or blocked. Clinical strategies are based upon diagnosis of patterns of signs and symptoms that reflect an imbalance.

However, the tradition as a whole places great emphasis on lifestyle management in order to prevent disease before it occurs. Chinese medicine recognises that health is more than just the absence of disease and it has a unique capacity to maintain and enhance our capacity for well being and happiness.

Herbal Medicine and Modern Pharmacology

There is a growing body of research which indicates that traditional uses of plant remedies and the known pharmacological activity of plant constituents often coincide. However, herbal medicine is distinct from medicine based on pharmaceutical drugs. Firstly, because of the complexity of plant materials it is far more balanced than medicine based on isolated active ingredients and is far less likely to cause side-effects. Secondly, because herbs are typically prescribed in combination, the different components of a formulae balance each other, and they undergo a mutual synergy which increases efficacy and enhances safety. Thirdly, herbal medicine seeks primarily to correct internal imbalances rather than to treat symptoms alone, and therapeutic intervention is designed to encourage this self-healing process.


What can Chinese Herbal Medicine treat?

Chinese herbal medicine is successfully used for a very wide range of conditions. Among the more commonly treated disorders are:

Skin disease , including eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, urticaria

Gastro-intestinal disorders , including irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, ulcerative colitis

Gynaecological conditions , including pre-menstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhoea, endometriosis, infertility

Hepatitis and HIV : some promising results have been obtained for treatment of Hepatitis C, and supportive treatment may be beneficial in the case of HIV

Chronic fatigue syndromes , whether with a background of viral infection or in other situations

Respiratory conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, and chronic coughs, allergic and perennial rhinitis and sinusitis

Rheumatological conditions (e.g. osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)

Urinary conditions , including chronic cystitis

Psychological problems (e.g. depression, anxiety)

Children's diseases

Many of these conditions, especially in their chronic forms, create great difficulty for conventional medicine, whilst Chinese herbal medicine has a great deal to offer. The results that can be expected and the length of treatment required will depend on the severity of the condition, its duration, and the general health of the patient.

Any RCHM member will be happy to discuss their experience of treating your type of problem with you before you commit yourself to treatment.

Who can have treatment?

Chinese medicine can be used by people of any age or constitution. Your practitioner will take any previous or current illness or medication into account before providing treatment. With suitable adjustments for dosage and with some provisos which will be determined by your practitioner, children and pregnant women can very well be treated by Chinese medicine.

What are the herbs like?

H erbs are now available in a number of formats, both traditional and modern. The traditional method is to boil a mixture of dried herbs to make a tea or to use pills. The herbs are also now commonly prescribed as freeze dried powders or tinctures. The herbs will at first taste unusual and often bitter to anyone who has not tried them before, but the vast majority of people get used to the taste very quickly.

Are herbs safe?

Chinese herbs are very safe when prescribed correctly by a properly trained practitioner. Over the centuries doctors have compiled detailed information about the pharmacopoeia and placed great emphasis on the protection of the patient. Allergic type reactions are rare, and will cause no lasting damage if treatment is stopped as soon as symptoms appear. All members of the RCHM give guidance on this to all patients. The provision of good quality authenticated herbs is also very important to protect public safety, and the RCHM is currently working with the main suppliers and Kew Gardens in order to ensure that the products used by our members meet the highest standards.


Endangered species

The RCHM is greatly concerned about the threat to wild animals and plants that have come as a result of the growth in demand for traditional medicines. We strongly condemn the illegal trade in endangered species and have a strict policy prohibiting the use of any type of endangered species by any of our Members. The RCHM uses information supplied by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Wildlife Liaison Office of the Metropolitan Police and the Department of the Environment, all of whom work to stop the trade in illegal substances wherever it is found.

Who can be a Member of the RCHM?

There are two routes to membership.

Graduates of colleges affiliated to the RCHM have automatic right of entry. Courses run by affiliated colleges meet criteria agreed by the RCHM. These criteria set out the minimum standards for theory, clinical experience and western sciences that are required for the practice of CHM in the UK .

Applicants who have not graduated from an affiliated college present evidence of training, qualifications and experience. These applicants attend a stringent personal interview.

About non RCHM members

There are now a great number of people in the UK who claim to be able to practice Chinese Herbal Medicine. Some of them will have received proper training, and some of them may have not. It is difficult, if not impossible, for a member of the public to establish the authenticity of the claims or the validity of the certificates of a practitioner who is not an RCHM member. A non member will not be bound by the regulations of a professional body and may well not have professional insurance.

For your own safety and peace of mind it is strongly recommended that you only consult an RCHM member when you are considering taking Chinese herbs. It should be noted that forged certificates are not unheard of, so please do not take a certificate alone as proof of membership, but use the RCHM to select your member.

RCHM members and acupuncture

Most practitioners of Chinese Herbal Medicine will have completed a course in acupuncture before becoming a herbalist, and will be able to offer this as part of your treatment, should you require it. Most RCHM Members are also British Acupuncture Council members. However, the majority of acupuncturists have not trained in herbal medicine, so it is recommended that you check that the person prescribing is an RCHM member. The British Acupuncture Council will be able to provide a list of qualified acupuncturists and you are advised to check that you will be receiving acupuncture from one of their members. Details of how to contact them can be found on this site.

The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine & what they do

The RCHM was set up in 1987 to regulate the practice of Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) in the UK . We now represent over 450 fully qualified practitioners of Chinese Herbal Medicine.

The RCHM exists:

• To provide information to members of the public seeking a properly qualified practitioner who is bound by Codes of Ethics and Good Practice and who has full professional insurance.

• To assist in setting the criteria for the practice and teaching of CHM within the UK .

• To work with the governments of Britain and Europe towards the regulation of practitioners and the control of the quality of herbs sold in the UK .

• To protect the rights of the qualified practitioner to have access to the herbs needed to treat patients.

• To work with consumer and patient organisations to ensure the safety of the public.

• To work with the suppliers of Chinese herbs to ensure the authenticity and quality of the herbs available.

• To provide assistance and information to the media regarding CHM.

 

The Register is a member of the European Herbal Practitioners Association (EHPA), an umbrella organisation which represents the Western, Chinese (and other Oriental) and Ayurvedic herbal traditions and is working towards statutory registration for these traditions in the UK . The statutory Register for herbal medicine would be unified but would at the same time maintain and foster the separate identities of each tradition. A great deal of draft documentation has been drawn up, including core curricula, codes of ethics, a continuing professional development scheme, and an Accreditation Board has been set up to accredit those herbal medicine courses which meet the necessary standards. 

The RCHM is also represented on the Department of Health Herbal Medicine Regulatory Working Group. This was established in early 2002 in order to carry out more detailed work on the statutory regulation (SR) of herbal medicine and to make recommendations for assuring the safety and quality of herbal remedies supplied under section 12 of the 1968 Medicines Act. It has an independent chair and several lay members. It will draw up a report on SR which is to be submitted for consultation to relevant stakeholders in 2003, and will form the basis of a Statutory Order that is to be presented to each UK parliament and assembly in 2004. This is a historic project which if implemented will provide the public with clearly identifiable standards of competence, will allow more effective regulation of herb quality, and will give herbal medicine a stronger political voice in the UK and Europe.

(Source RCHM. www.rchm.co.uk )
About Kevin Robins
Acupuncture & the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)
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