About Us
The IMHO was set up in 2005 to provide a home for those medical herbalists who wished to belong to a professional organization participating in the work of the National Herbal Council and the National Working Group on the Regulation of Complementary Therapists.
Our mission statement on the National Council website (www.nationalherbalcouncil.com) states:
Members of the Irish Medical Herbalists Organisation are trained in a western tradition of herbalism and are graduates of colleges accredited by the National Institute of Medical Herbalists in the UK, a professional body established in 1864.
Training consists of three and four year degree (BSc) and diploma programmes of tuition and studies in the biomedical and clinical sciences, clinical examination and diagnosis, differential diagnosis and pharmacology. Throughout their training, Medical Herbalists study the art of herbalism and its ‘Materia Medica’ including herbal therapeutic applications, safety and interactions, the making of herbal medicine, and plant identification and quality control. Other aspects of the training include nutrition, professional ethics and the therapeutic relationship. Each student of Medical Herbalism undergoes a minimum of 500 hours of clinical supervision wherein clinical and herbal studies are given extensive practical application.
Medical Herbalists use mostly local common herbs in their therapeutic applications to treat a wide range of conditions. Herbal medicine is usually dispensed following a consultation with a medical herbalist together with nutrition and lifestyle advice.
The IMHO also stands by the following statements:
- As an organization we adhere strictly to our ethical code in our dealings with the public, other professionals, organsiations and bodies.
- We support the right of all traditions of herbalists to practice, once they are trained to a safe standard, and so believe that negotiations with Government bodies with regard to regulation and other matters pertaining to herbal medicine in Ireland should be inclusive of different herbal disciplines rather than exclusive. To this end we should continue to collaborate with, and be a part of, the National Herbal Council to ensure our members have representation at national level and are included in the process of regulation.
- We believe in promoting the use of indigenous species and promoting the growth and development of a sustainable herbal industry in Ireland, from growing and gathering to using herbs as medicine
- We should provide CPD for our membership.
- We should improve our web presence so that we have an interesting, presentable and informative IMHO website and participate in public education about the safe practice of herbal medicine.
Membership fees
- Full practicing members: €100
- Overseas and non practicing members: €30
- Members taking a career break or with extenuating circumstances: €30
- Student members: €20