Inadvisable Advice

© Helen Lesser 2005
First published in AQCH Hypnotherapy Journal, issue 41, August 2005

One of my patients, suffering from IBS, asked me whether she should try colonic irrigation to help her. I was unable to give her an opinion as I don’t know enough about the therapy, its benefits or its side-effects.

But what if I had decided that this treatment is useful for IBS? What if I suggested this to all my IBS patients? What if someone took my suggestion, had the treatment and it caused some sort of complication? Would I then be liable?

My insurance covers me for my treatment of hypnotherapy. It does not provide any cover at all for giving advice or therapy in which I am not suitably qualified.

This means that I cannot advise