About Us

The CPP is a professional membership organisation that sets the highest standards of practice in herbal medicine. All new members are qualified to university level 6, have undergone a final clinical exam, and have a minimum of 500 hours clinical training.

Our members’ practices are focused on herbal medicine or phytotherapy. The CPP’s mission is to be an exemplar for this practice, as a strong and effective therapeutic discipline in its own right and as a significant part of the healthcare spectrum.

Our Mission Statement

High quality training

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The CPP has a growing membership and attracts qualified herbalists, mainly from Britain, with a growing list of members from around the world. CPP members recognise excellence in practice, following a high quality of training in physiology, pathology, differential diagnosis, clinical medicine, pharmacology and nutrition. Members have an understanding of diagnositc and therapeutic skills and techniques, a solid understanding and appreciation of our medicinal herbs and constituents, and a continued desire to learn how these tools together promote health.

Integrated healthcare

Core to the CPP mission is integrating herbal and mainstream medical health care through improving mutual understanding and sharing knowledge. To maintain membership our members are required to attend our Continual Professional Development (CPD) seminars and training workshops each year. These seminars provide the latest scientific developments in medical and herbal research and are a forum for learning, discussion, pooling of ideas and theories, as well as meeting with colleagues. Seminars are also attended by non-herbal colleagues, pharmacists, the nursing profession, scientists, and registered medical practitioners: this nurtures an important cross-disciplinary culture among the CPP membership.

Support for members

The CPP provides a number of support services. Student membership helps through their studies and gives students a discounted rate to our CPD seminars and training workshops. There is also a ‘buddy system’ for new and established members, allowing links with experienced members of the CPP to reduce isolation and to build confidence.

The CPP Council deals with strategic and day-to-day business, as well as members’ problems, and sends updates to its members on important matters related to the safe and effective practice of herbal medicine. CPP members are expected to fully comply with its Code of Ethics.

Code of Ethics.

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What is phytotherapy?

Phytotherapy is the practice of modern western herbal medicine. It is a rational approach based upon a combination of understanding the contemporary scientific evidence base for herbal medicine, while appreciating the insights that can be gained from traditional herbal medicine texts and records, and by learning from clinical experience by ongoing reflective practice. It combines orthodox medical skills and knowledge with a scientific understanding of plants and their effects on the body.

Our members practise face-to-face consultations, including a full health history, and carry out simple investigations and physical examinations. All areas of the patient’s health are detailed including their emotional state, lifestyle, and diet. Rather than focusing on their symptoms alone a therapeutic plan and herbal prescription are usually drawn up. Follow-up appointments monitor the progress of the patient and there may be changes to the herbal medicine formulation as time progresses.

Herbal Medicines

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Herbal medicines derive from plants and can be found in the form of liquid medicine, tea, tablets, capsules, powders, lotions and creams. They are selected and combined to meet the individual needs of each patient. The CPP practitioner is well educated in known interactions and will carefully advise on whether these prescriptions can be combined with those from the doctor.

The CPP provides:

  • Register of members – click here to find your nearest herbalist
  • CPD Seminars (primarily for CPP members but also for students and other health professionals)
  • Lecture notes of past seminars (password protected; a fee may apply for non-attendees)
  • We recommend insurance companies for our Members

For futher information please contact Pam Bull at pamela.bull@thecpp.uk or use the contact form.