FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When can I expect to receive my course once I have paid?
Once your order arrives via the website, we email confirmation of your order, then once payment has been received your course material is then posted through NZ Post, with a general delivery turnaround of approximately one week. NZ postage fee is $12, rural $18.00.
Overseas enquiries – ie Australia takes up to 10 days with an additional postage fee of $20NZD.
All postal orders vary for delivery depending on the country purchased from.
Please contact us beforehand to receive a postal quote for your country.
For further enquiries, email: janice@healthyoptions.co.nz
Are there any other costs involved?
Each course purchased arrives as a complete workbook, with the herbal courses requiring questionaire test paper request. There are no further costs or installments. The course workbook once completed becomes your future reference hard copy literature. We find digital media less supportive and the software can become outdated.
How long will my course take to complete?
While our courses allow students to study at their own pace, in their own time, we have put together a general study guideline for each course. These are as follows:
Healthcare Courses:
Basic Natural Healthcare Course – 6 weeks
Basic Nutritional Healthcare Course – 6 weeks
Homeopathic Healthcare Course – 8 weeks
Herbalism Courses:
Botanical medicinal education requires more involvement in personal time, with brewing, growing, drying, all on a seasonal basis. Therefore determined study hours do vary, instead we provide study guidelines, not deadlines, as nature herself determines how long you spend on your studies.
Primary Traditional Herbal Certificate – 3-4 months
Senior Traditional Herbal Diploma – 5-6 months
Master Traditional Herbology Degree – 6-12 months
However, please note that these are only general guidelines and there is no set time limit for their completion.
Are the courses NZQA accredited?
No, we are not affiliated, or a member of NZQA, therefore our structure is different. We are more holistic, community based. Our Herbal Education Centre was established in 1985, before the Education Act of 1987. The New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA), as a membership organisation, was established 1991. The Herbal Education Centre stands first in law in our own rongoā jurisdiction, under common law. Consequently, given the worldwide interest in herbalism and taonga tiko iho, God’s medicines, the Centre chose the World Health Organisation’s Traditional Medicine guidelines and the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Indigenous Educational Standards. As such our qualified students have an international standard and are able to act as practitioners and dispense under the NZ Medicines Act.
The Herbal Education Centre has a ‘grandfather status’ under Common Law and tangata te whenua, the people of the land standing in their jurisdiction, this is due to the herbal centre being established before the 1987 Education Act and Framework began.
In viewing the future of herbalism we expanded our horizons and adopted the World Indigenous Commission guidelines, under the World Health Organisation’s indigenous educational standards, given that our tutors and director are Tohungas providing community based holistic wairua, hinengaro and tinana educational training.
NZQA’s response, quote 30 August 2024: “NZQA oversees their New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF). NZQA does not issue international qualifications however, part of its function is to support comparisons with other qualifications, nationally and internationally”
Is my qualification covered under legislation?
Natural heath practitioners and qualified herbalists have specific cover exemptions under the 1981 Medicines Act . The effect of the exemption allows qualified natural health practitioners and herbalists to be able to dispense natural medicines, rongoa herbs, following any consultation with the said practitioner.
Whilst there has been more recent regulatory proposals i.e the Therapeutic Products Act, none of these parliamentary processes have changed the 1981 Medicines Act regulations, in regards to dietary supplements and herbal dispensing.
Can natural health practitioners and herbalists operate under section 32 exemption?
People wishing to practice natural medicines may follow, within the context of the 1981 Medicines Act, provide care to a patient:
- Obtain any general sale medicine on behalf of a patient or for subsequent supply to a patient following a consultation with that patient.
- Prepare, blend or formulate a general sale medicine on behalf of a patient or for supply to a patient following a consultation with that patient.
- Label products supplied to the patient under the exemption with information regarding the intended therapeutic use, providing that the label meets the requirements of the Medicines Regulations 1984.
- Display information sheets pertaining to the therapeutic use of ingredients or blends of ingredients (but not products) but not claim or state a cure.
- Display any general sale medicine (providing it is not labelled with intended therapeutic uses) and add the label describing the therapeutic use of the product following a consultation.
- Advertise the services they provide as long as the advertisement does not breach restrictions in section 58 of the Medicines Act 1981 that relate to advertisements for methods of treatment.
- Provide specific information on a product to a patient providing that the information contained in it was discussed during a consultation with the patient.
Reclassified herbal dispensing
- Medicine Classification Committee often review herbs and herbal products. Some of which over the years have been reclassified causing restrictions. Qualified herbalists can legally continue to dispense such reclassified herbs i.e. Artemesia, Lobelia, Valerian, Devil’s Claw, White Willow that are on a prohibited list. https://hiralabs.co.nz/prohibited-herbs/. As no God given medicinal herb can be banned from safe dispensing use.
Are the courses funded by WINZ?
WINZ funding criteria has changed since 2006, they have since declined any natural health, holistic or herbal and rongoa unless specific NZQA support training. However, NZQA courses do not cover medicinal herbal, homeopathic or holistic qualifications.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, we do. Our philosophy of holistic principles enables us to offer low cost health correspondence courses. Our goal is to make studying healthcare and herbalism as accessible as possible by offering payment by installments, with the full amount of your course costs received before your study material is posted out to you. There are no extra fees when paying by this method, simply phone or email us before hand to confirm our banking details.
Where can I purchase my herbal products from once qualified?
There are numerous companies supplying herbal tinctures, seeds, capsules and teas in NZ and overseas. Please contact us for a current list.
What organisation can I join once qualified?
Once you have attained your qualification the practitioner body we recommend you join SNTR (Society of Natural Therapies & Researchers). SNTR offers practitioners an Accreditation Qualification Certificate upon application acceptance and member status alongside your other qualifications. SNTR also provides a member website database which is accessible for the public when seeking a practitioner. Membership starts at $50.00 per year.
SNTR is the oldest natural therapy organisation in New Zealand. It is also an associated member of the Natural Health Practitioners New Zealand Association.
The national herb organisation open to everyone is the Herb Federation of NZ.
We also encourage students to join the local herb societies.
What is a ‘consultation’?
A consultation as such, is not defined in the Medicines Act 1981. Interaction between any practitioner and a patient is covered by the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers Rights 1996, under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994.
Are your courses available for New Zealand students only?
New Zealand citizens and those who hold residence visas, can enroll at any time. For other overseas queries, simply contact us to receive a shipping quote.
I have previous natural health qualifications/experience. Am I able to enroll for the NZ Senior Traditional Herbal Diploma rather than beginning on the Primary level?
If you have previous herbal qualifications, then with the tutor’s approval, upon viewing your certificates, you can go straight to the Senior Diploma Course. however we strongly recommend that you start with the NZ Primary Traditional Herbal Medicine Course, given the traditional holistic content of our herb courses that builds upon each study level.
Don’t see your question answered here? Simply email us: janice@healthyoptions.co.nz
