Policy on Handling Errant Practitioners

Policy on Handling Errant Practitioners

1. Introduction

The Association for IEMT Practitioners (“the Association”) exists to support high standards of training, ethics, and professional practice within the field of Integral Eye Movement Technique (IEMT). This policy explains how the Association can, and cannot, address concerns about practitioners who may fall short of these standards. It is designed to help the public understand the Association’s role, its voluntary register of members, and the steps you can take if you have concerns about an IEMT practitioner.

2. Our Role and Powers

  • No Statutory Authority
    The Association is a pro-active membership body and not a statutory regulator recognised at the governmental level. As such, we have no legal power to license, suspend, or prosecute practitioners.
  • We cannot provide legal advice or impose financial penalties.
  • We cannot compel non-members to engage with our process or remove unapproved practitioners from practising.
  • Promotion of Good Practice
    Through ongoing education, peer support, and approved training pathways, we encourage members to uphold high standards of competence, ethics, and client safety.

3. Voluntary Register of Practitioners

  • Member Listing Pages
    Our website hosts a searchable Member Directory featuring all current practitioner members.
  • Approved Training & Insurance
    To appear in the directory, practitioners must:
    1. Have completed formal IEMT training with an Association-approved trainer.
    2. Maintain appropriate professional indemnity insurance.
  • DBS (Criminal Records) Status (UK only)
    Each profile clearly indicates whether the member has undergone a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

4. Practitioner Status and Public Guidance

  • “Approved Practitioner” Definition
    Only those listed in our directory are recognised by the Association as meeting our training and insurance criteria.
  • Unlisted Practitioners
    • If a practitioner does not appear in our directory, they are not an approved member of the Association.
    • They may have been members in the past but failed to renew, or they may never have been trained by an Association-approved trainer.
    • We cannot maintain a register of unapproved or unlicensed individuals advertising IEMT services, nor can we take legal action against them.
  • Verifying a Practitioner
    If you are unsure whether someone is a current member, contact us at associationforiemt@gmail.com for confirmation.

5. Complaints and Concerns

  1. Raising a Concern
    If you believe a listed practitioner has acted unprofessionally or breached our Code of Conduct, you may submit a complaint via our online Complaints Procedure page.
  2. Assessment Process
    Upon receipt, complaints are reviewed by the Association’s complaints officer. We may request further information from you or the practitioner concerned.
  3. Possible Outcomes
    • Guidance & Education
      Where issues are minor or unintentional, the practitioner may be asked to undertake additional training, mentoring or peer-review.
    • Reprimand or Censure
      A formal written warning may be issued for moderate breaches of our Code of Conduct. A notification of such is displayed on the member's profile for a period of 12 months.
    • Membership Suspension or Removal
      Serious or repeated misconduct may result in temporary suspension or permanent removal from our Directory.
  4. Limitations
    We cannot impose fines, revoke a legal licence to practise, or pursue disciplinary action through a statutory body. If a practitioner ceases to engage, our only recourse is to remove them from the Directory.

6. Timelines for Handling Complaints

We aim to process every complaint promptly:

  • Acknowledgement: within 5 working days of receipt.
  • Investigation: target completion within 28 calendar days.
  • If more time is needed, we will keep you updated on progress and expected completion.

7. Transparency and Accountability

  • Publication of Decisions
    When membership is suspended or revoked, the Directory entry will be updated to reflect that status, along with a brief note of “Suspended” or “Removed.”
  • Annual Review
    The Ethics Committee will publish an annual summary (with anonymised case studies) of concerns raised and how they were addressed.

8. Disclaimers

  • No Legal Guarantee
    Inclusion in our Directory does not guarantee outcomes of therapy or confer any statutory rights.
  • External Regulation
    Some IEMT practitioners may also belong to statutory or professional bodies (e.g., psychological or counselling associations). Complaints outside the scope of IEMT should be directed to the relevant statutory regulator.

9. Contact and Further Information

10. Publication of Annual Summary

Each year from the end of 2025, we will publish an anonymised summary of complaints received and how they were resolved. This report will be found in the files section in February 2026.

This policy was approved by the Board of the Association for IEMT Practitioners on 4 August 2025 and will be reviewed annually.