What is the SATCC?
Driven by a need in the market for a definitive standard, Susan Harmsworth MBE (Founder of ESPA) is joining forces with leading names in the spa industry to create the Standard Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC).
Historically therapists have been discouraged to offer spa treatments to clients with cancer, largely borne out of a lack of knowledge about the effects of such treatments on those with the illness. This approach has been compounded by a refusal from insurance companies to provide professional indemnity to therapists treating clients with cancer. As a result, until now there has not been a single coordinated and recognised standard of care and training.
With one in two people expected to experience some form of cancer in their lifetime, providing safe and inclusive spa treatments to those suffering with the disease is a more pressing requirement than ever. Recent changes in medical thinking and pioneering initiatives mean that treatments including massages and facials can now be approached without previous concerns to provide welcome benefits to clients*, with the correct level of training for therapists.
The SATCC will ensure that training is offered to an industry recognised standard, providing a benchmark for spas and therapists and reassuring customers they will be well looked after. Its mission is to offer a safe, recognised platform for spas to find training courses, and help customers to find therapists trained to cater to cancer sufferers’ individual needs.
Working together under Susan’s guidance, the SATCC has created a full set of standards that are recognised by insurers and detail the required level of training for therapists.
The levels of certification
There are three levels of certification, qualifying therapists to treat clients at different stages of their cancer journey:
Level 1
Allows therapists to treat someone who has had cancer within the last three years.
Level 2
Allows therapists to treat someone who is currently in remission.
Level 3
Allows therapists to treat someone with active cancer who may, for example, have a PICC line.
Comments from the SATCC members
Abi Selby, founder of Spabreaks.com, comments: “Having spent 10 years lobbying and enforcing change in this space where we can, this is such an important development for spa therapists and clients - we’re delighted to be supporting this innovative step forward."
Kush Kumar, CEO of Think Tree, which has also partnered with Susan to create SATCC says: “As a member of the SATCC I believe in the key standards and messages of support, guidance, training and application of oncology massage. The SATCC is made up of professionals from various industries and multi modalities, who have created quality assured standards that can be accessed by course providers to provide training for those therapists who specialise in oncology massage. The focus and intention is to make oncology massage accessible to all.”
Get in touch
Are you a spa that is looking for advice on how to get your therapists trained in treating people living with cancer? Or are you a spa that has already done this and is wanting to work with us to celebrate the great strides the spa industry is making in this area? If so, we would love to hear from you, so please email product@spabreaks.com.
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