On Sat 2nd March at the Weymouth College site my Professional Clinical Reflexology PCR-The Langstone-Wring Method™accredited and evidenced CPD training took place. My specialist training course is for qualified reflexologists to gain necessary skills and confidence to work with oncology patients from Diagnosis through Treatment and Beyond in NHS clinical settings. I am asked is it necessary to attend Continued Professional Development CPD training when qualification at a level 3 is sufficient to gain membership of a governing body and insurance to practice? My answer is that recognised professional governing bodies expect members to engage in the process of CPD to up-skill, improve quality, maintain standards and meet codes of practice. The CPD training I deliver started to take shape alongside development of a NHS Clinical Reflexology Service I founded and operated as Clinical Lead of the Fortuneswell Complementary Therapy/Clinical Reflexology Service from 2014-2022 at NHS Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust as part of Cancer Services. It became evident that traditional reflexology did not meet the challenges of working in a busy clinical environment. PCR Method™ training provides skills to deliver a standardised 20 minute treatment and ensures a cohort of specialist trained Clinical Reflexologists is available locally. To sustain delivery of Clinical Reflexology in response to increased demand in the hospital. I set a professional operational standard of treatment protocol supported by patient data findings of therapy safety, efficacy and VFM from clinical audit (The PCR Method™ is evidenced from over 10.000 NHS patient feedback data). After meeting the requirements of three main accreditors of complementary therapy training I taught my initial course. One therapist from this course was offered the opportunity to join me at DCH. After my third training course the Clinical Reflexology Service at DCH required another reflexologist as the third site at DCH- The Robert White Radiotherapy Centre requested Clinical Reflexology for their patients. Before my retirement from DCHFT three Clinical Reflexologists were delivering a morning service five days a week at three sites within the hospital. At retirement I contacted another reflexologist from my first course with an invitation to join the team. Coincidentally, my training was attracting interest from outside the county with enquiries from reflexologists with various professional backgrounds requesting places on my courses. Waiting lists appeared as my classes are purposely restricted in number to ensure quality and maximise one-to-one hands on experience. All applicants shared my vision to offer cancer patients the highest standard of safe and effective treatment, focussing on relaxing the anxious patient by balancing the autonomic nervous system and easing the symptoms of cancer treatment. Patient data identified anxiety, pain and swelling as the most highly scored symptoms. To evidence a measurement of change a before and after score was recorded at each treatment via a consent and evaluation form. The differential was calculated at audit and showed a significant drop in symptom score in anxiety, pain and swelling following 20 mins treatment of the PCR Method™ indicating it Beneficial, Effective, Safe, Therapeutic = Best practice.
Allreflexologists delivering Clinical Reflexology at Dorset County Hospital have completed my PCR Method™ training meeting NHS Clinical Reflexology Service governance policy and procedure terms and Operational Standards. I am pleased to add the complementary therapy team from the local hospice to the growing list of PCR Method™ Trained Clinical Reflexologists ensuring continuity and quality of Clinical Reflexology care and treatment for NHS patients in Dorset. Up-dates can be found on my website for fellow therapists, clinicians and members of the public to access. In one way or another I have been involved in education since 1981 when I gained a City & Guilds Further Education Teaching Certificate FETC. In 2005 whilst teaching reflexology at Weymouth College I obtained City & Guilds Assessor Awards. These teaching and assessing methods are still recognised to-day upholding the value of face-to-face hands-on training. There is no substitute for sharing a learning experience with enthusiastic like-minded individuals. Thank you to my fellow reflexologists for making the training day such a pleasure!