CODE OF CONDUCT FOR HEALERS ON THE HEF REGISTER AND HEHC STUDENT HEALERS

Introduction

In this Code of Conduct and other materials provided by the Harry Edwards Foundation Limited for healers on the Harry Edwards Foundation Register and for HEHC (Harry Edwards Healing College) Student Healers some terms are used with specific meanings. These Definitions are shown for easy reference in the Annex to this Code.

This Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of all healers included on both Parts A and B of the Harry Edwards Foundation HEF Healer Register (HEF Register) and those undertaking training in preparation for inclusion on the Register (HEHC Student Healers). All healers have a duty of care to their clients and are expected to maintain high levels of competency and professional conduct. By accepting inclusion on the HEF Register or becoming a HEHC Student Healer, healers agree to be bound by the contents of this Code and to uphold these standards.

Harry Edwards was an outstanding healer in his time and those of us who are privileged to be associated with The Foundation as healers have a duty to protect the legacy Harry Edwards has left, the good name of The Foundation, and to protect the public. The standards in this Code aim to fulfil that responsibility.

The healing given by healers on the HEF Register is Spiritual Healing, referred to here as ’Healing‘. This involves the channelling of healing energy from outside the healer through the hands and/or with thought. It does not include massage, manipulation, use of any instruments, drugs or other remedies, or the practice of clairvoyant readings or psychic surgery using medical instruments. It does include Distant Healing (sometimes called Absent Healing). This is when the healer and the person receiving healing are remote from one another.

Healers on the HEF Register and HEHC Student Healers are expected to behave appropriately and in ways that are a credit to The Foundation and reflect its values. They must take responsibility for their own actions and uphold public confidence in healing at all times.

Because HEF is committed to the protection of the public there are established procedures to address any concerns raised by members of the public about the conduct of Healers on the HEF Register and HEHC Student Healers. These will be used whenever a complaint is made about a HEF Registered Healer or HEHC Student Healer which requires investigation. The procedures provide for disciplinary action in the event that this Code has been breached. Any healer on the HEF Register or HEHC Student Healer who is the subject of a complaint must co-operate with the investigation and must comply with the procedures and timescales required.

The Code of Conduct cannot address in detail every situation Healers on the HEF Register or HEHC Student Healers will face in practice. Additional advice and support is available from HEF staff who will endeavour to ensure that the highest level of professional conduct is maintained.

The standards that follow apply equally whenever healing is given as a HEF Registered Healer or HEHC Student Healer healing under supervision at The Foundation, or at another venue arranged/approved by HEF or anywhere else.

HEF Registered Healers and HEHC Student Healers must always

• Understand and act within the law as is relates to healing including matters of confidentiality, data protection, trading practices, disclosure, the protection of others and co-operation with other interested parties (see HEF Note: ‘Legal Aspects of Healing’).

• At the Foundation, or at events arranged/approved by the Foundation, healing is normally undertaken without a chaperone present. If a client is new to the Foundation, where possible a chaperone or second healer will be present.

At venues not arranged by The Foundation a chaperone is strongly recommended, to protect both the healer and the client from any potentially untoward allegations. Where it is not possible to secure the presence of a chaperone, Healers on the HEF Register should ensure that for security, others are fully informed of their whereabouts during this time. HEHC Student Healers must never undertake healings on the public except under supervision. An additional adult – who has parental or other legal responsibility – must always be present when giving healing to a child under 16yrs, or to a vulnerable young person or adult.

• Be respectful and courteous to all those with whom they deal as healers, including clients, their relatives and significant others, and other healers and professionals.

• Take responsibility for the relationship they have with those to whom they give healing and ensure that they do nothing to undermine or abuse the trust which is placed in them.

• Ensure that their behaviour is at all times professional and not open to misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Unnecessary physical contact or other casual non-physical or verbal behaviour can easily be construed as abuse or harassment and may lead to legal and/or disciplinary procedures being brought.

• Obtain consent to treatment from the client, which must be given voluntarily and by a fully informed and legally competent person and / or where relevant those with parental or other legal responsibilities for the client (see HEF Note: Legal Aspects of Healing).

• Where relevant and appropriate to do so, establish whether clients have sought medical advice for any medical condition and if not, advise that they do so.

• Take care when healing to ensure safe working conditions. In particular, when healing at a venue not arranged by The Foundation, ensure that their working situation is suitable, safe and where required meets local authority regulations.

• Have insurance protection to the level required as outlined in the Volunteers handbook.

• Be able to produce evidence of current HEF Registration or HEHC Student Healer status when asked.

• Seek to continually improve their own knowledge and abilities to improve and enhance their professional practice.

• Recognize their own limitations and seek help from those with greater skills and experience when this is needed.

• Be ready to co-operate with the medical profession.

All advertising undertaken by HEF Registered Healers must be legal, decent, honest and truthful. Only healers who complete or are exempted from the HEHC training and who are accepted onto the HEF Register may claim a connection with HEF. Advertising or other publicity materials that mention HEF or The Foundation should be submitted to HEF for prior approval. (see HEF Note: Legal Aspects of Healing).

HEF Registered Healers and HEHC Student Healers must never:

• Use titles or descriptions of themselves or their treatment that may confuse or mislead the public.

• Give or offer any other form of treatment or therapy in association with healing unless they are qualified and insured to do so and without first making it clear to the client what they propose to do and obtain the client’s consent. The client must be made aware when the healing act begins and ends.

• Give healing while mentally or physically unfit to do so.

• While a Student Healer gives healing to the public unless under supervision of a HEF Registered Healer and after being specifically authorized by HEF to do so, and then only when the client agrees to receive healing from a supervised Student Healer. HEHC Student Healers who are not authorized to give healing under supervision must not offer healing to the public.

• Falsify documents or client’s records for any reason.

• Enter into a sexual or other inappropriate relationship with a client or otherwise abuse or exploit a client in any other way whatsoever.

• Give healing when it is not safe or appropriate to do so for either the client or themselves.

• Discriminate on grounds of gender, race, religion, political persuasion, sexual preferences, age or disability.

• At any time guarantee, promise, claim or imply a cure.

Before giving healing HEF Registered and supervised Student Healers must always:

• Make clear to the client when they are giving healing as an HEF Registered Healer or HEHC Student Healer. Explain to the client having healing for the first time how healers on the HEF Register give healing and how it may be generally experienced.

• Before giving healing at a venue not arranged by HEF, explain to the client whether there will be a charge and if so what that charge will be. (At the Foundation a minimum donation amount is suggested for healing)

Before giving healing to an animal HEF Registered and supervised Student Healers must always

• Ensure when asked to give healing to an animal that the treatment given is not construed to be ’veterinary treatment‘, i.e. diagnosis, giving advice based upon diagnosis or medical or surgical treatment. Where there is concern about the animal’s health, the owner must be advised to consult a veterinary surgeon.

While giving healing HEF Registered Healers and supervised Student Healers must always:

• Behave with decorum and propriety, establish and then respect the client’s wishes and common decency as to whether and how they may be touched. If the client prefers the healing to be given with hands off the body this must be complied with.

• Respect the views and beliefs of the Client.

If asked to give healing in a hospital, hospice or other organization, HEF Registered Healers must always:

• Obtain permission from the person in charge of the relevant ward/area.

• Recognize and respect the responsibility of the hospital, hospice or other organization for the clients in their care; carry identification and evidence of current HEF Registration and give healing without fuss or interruption to staff and other clients.

• Wear clothing which does not in any way give the impression of being part of the staff of the hospital, hospice or other organization (i.e. white coats or other uniforms). HEHC Student Healers should not normally seek to give healing in hospitals, hospices or other organizations even under supervision although HEF will consider submissions on their merits for exceptional permission.

Healers on the HEF Register and supervised Student Healers must never:

• Give contact healing to clients without their specific consent.

• Ask a client to remove clothing other than spectacles, coat, shoes or other outer garments.

• Give any form of medical diagnosis to a client unless qualified and insured to do so.

• Interfere in any way with the medical advice or any medical treatment that the client is receiving, including giving advice or recommendation.

• Have a third party present (e.g. a student healer or a member of the client’s family) without the consent of both the client and themselves.

• Offer clairvoyance to those who visit the Foundation for healing (either at the time or by providing the means for the visitor to make contact for a clairvoyant session subsequently). The only proper response if such a request is made, is to say that we only provide healing at the Foundation.  

After giving healing HEF Registered Healers and supervised HEHC Student Healers must always:

• Keep appropriate records of healing given to clients. The records should be clear, concise and avoid recording the healer’s own opinions or views as these could be open to legal challenge. HEF provides and retains the records for healing given at The Foundation and other venues arranged by HEF. Healers are responsible for ensuring adequate records when they heal elsewhere. If in doubt, HEF Registered Healers and supervised Student Healers should seek advice on appropriate methods of record keeping from HEF staff.

• Ensure that the client records are kept in a safe and secure place and retained as advised in the HEF guidance on Legal Aspects of Healing related to English Law.

• Keep confidential any information received from a client unless required by law to release it.

• Ensure that confidential information is protected from improper disclosure – either intentional or unintentional – at all times. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action being taken.

• Consult with Foundation staff in the event that withholding specific confidential information received might be contrary to public interest (for example because there is a risk that a particular client may cause harm to him or herself or to others or have harm caused to them if the information is not disclosed).

FINALLY

This Code may be revised from time to time. HEF Registered Healers and HEHC Student Healers will be issued with amended versions as they become available and will be expected to comply with this Code as updated.

ANNEX: Definitions

 Absent/Distant Healing: Healing sent through thought or prayer when the healer and Client are remote from one another.

Channelling: The flow or transmission of healing energy through the healer.

 Chaperone: A volunteer who is present throughout an individual healing at The Foundation for the reassurance of the healer and the Client.

 Client/Client: A person who comes to a HEF healer for healing.

 Contact Healing: Healing when the Client and the healer are in the same room or place. The healing may be given with hands on or off the Client’s body according to the Client’s preference.

 When the healing is “hands on” healers must always take care not to touch inappropriately.

 HEHC:  The Harry Edwards Healing College

 HEF: The Harry Edwards Foundation

 HEF Register: The Harry Edwards Foundation Register of Healers. The Register is in two parts: Part A is for Harry Edwards Advanced Healers (see below) and Part B is for Harry Edwards Healers.

 HEF Staff: Employees of the Harry Edwards Foundation at Burrows Lea, Hook Lane, Shere in Surrey.

  Harry Edwards Advanced Healer: A healer included on Part A of the HEF Register who has undertaken study beyond the minimum required for registration and who has gained the HEHC CPD Certificate in Self Development or been given credit for equivalent learning and experience.

 Harry Edwards Healer: A healer included in Part B of the HEF Register who has successfully completed or been given credit for prior training and experience equivalent to successful completion of the HEHC Intermediate Training Course and has passed the HEF assessment process.

 Harry Edwards Registered Healer (HEF Registered Healer): A healer included in either Part A or Part B of the HEF Register.

 Harry Edward Student Healer:

A healer in training with the Harry Edwards Foundation whose name is entered on the HEHC Roll of Student healers.

 The Foundation: The HEF premises at Burrows Lea, Hook Lane, Shere in Surrey.

 Supervisor: An HEF Registered Healer who oversees healing by a Harry Edwards Student Healer.

 Volunteer: An HEF Registered Healer, HEHC Student Healer or other supporter of HEF who gives time freely at The Foundation to help those who seek healing or assist at the Foundation in other ways.