This document provides guidance on the Scope of Practice for students and graduates of the CNM Health Coach Diploma, helping them work confidently, safely, and responsibly within professional boundaries. CNM champions the vital role Health Coaches play in supporting health and wellbeing, and encourages students and graduates to make the most of their capabilities.
It supports Health Coaches to practise in a variety of settings – including one-to-one consultations, group sessions, workshops, seminars, or publishing content – by empowering clients to set and achieve self-determined goals, improve their health, and build lasting wellbeing.
| OUT OF SCOPE | WITHIN SCOPE |
| Diagnosing a medical condition | Support clients to understand their own health experiences and any diagnosed conditions.
Empowering the client to become confident in self-management strategies and lifestyle adjustments. |
| Claiming to cure a health condition | Collaborate with clients to set meaningful health and wellness goals.
Support clients in improving overall health, resilience, and lifestyle outcomes through appropriate strategies — not just managing symptoms. Co-create holistic, personalised health improvement plans, helping clients implement sustainable changes that enhance wellbeing and quality of life. |
| Giving detailed, prescriptive dietary advice or create individualised meal plans | Provide practical guidance on nutrition and lifestyle consistent with course content (e.g., reducing refined sugar, regular exercise, reducing toxin exposure, improving sleep, reducing stress).
Support clients in applying this guidance in daily life through goal-setting, reflection, and habit-building. Share reputable resources and educational materials to empower clients to make informed choices. Encourage sustainable, client-led changes rather than prescriptive or highly individualised meal plans. |
| Prescribe personalised nutritional supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other nutraceuticals
|
Provide general educational guidance rather than personal health advice, directing clients to reputable sources so they can make informed decisions and build confidence in managing their own health. |
Doing no harm
In common with all health professionals, Health Coaches must follow a ‘do no harm’ mandate by refraining from or carrying out any actions that would harm clients. To do this, Health Coaches must work within the scope of practice outlined in the table on page 1.
Avoiding these activities helps to:
- Protect clients from harm
- Minimise legal risk
- Maintain professional indemnity coverage
- Uphold the reputation and integrity of Health Coaching
Health Coaches can operate within a wide range of activities that positively impact client health and learning, including:
- Coaching individuals or groups
- Writing blogs or articles to educate and inspire
- Hosting or participating in webinars, speaking engagements, or educational events
- Communicating in professional forums or meetings with colleagues and healthcare professionals
If a Health Coach holds a recognised professional qualification and active insurance in another field (e.g., nutritional therapy, pharmacy, medicine, nursing), they may provide guidance within the Scope of Practice of that profession, ensuring they clarify the boundaries of each service with the client in writing.
Working collaboratively – As part of a wider healthcare team, health coaches refer clients to specialists (e.g. Nutritional Therapists, medical practitioners) for expert advice and then support them in implementing the guidance provided.
Individual Indemnity Insurance
Discounts on insurance are available through professional associations such as the ANP. Before working on case studies students must ensure they have their own individual indemnity insurance.
While CNM’s insurance covers only the training and supervision given to the students in the event there is a claim made against the school, a client does have the option to take legal action against an individual student, so for this reason students must be covered for this eventuality.
Discounts on indemnity insurance policies are available through professional associations such as the ANP. Students pay at a reduced rate that only insures you for carrying out case studies under supervision. Once qualified you will need to upgrade your insurance cover as a fully qualified Health Coach within the country in which you intend to work.
Students are responsible for following the legal requirements and working guidelines of the country / state in which they practice / work within. This includes maintaining indemnity insurance cover.
Students must advise clients they are a student under supervision and not yet fully qualified, and must keep a written record of this disclosure. Students cannot do anything beyond the scope that they have been taught at the time of undertaking the case study, and cannot charge the same fees as a qualified professional.
CNM complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR/DPA2018) that controls how personal information is used by organisations, businesses or government.
See CNM’s Privacy Policy https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/privacy-policy/
For a more detailed explanation of complying with each of the data protection principles see https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/
Responsibilities to Clients & Record Keeping
All members of the CNM teaching and clinic teams, and students have a responsibility to:
- Uphold a duty of care to all clients.
- Ensure that client confidentiality is upheld at all times.
- Ensure complete clinical records of all clients treated in CNM clinic or treated in other clinical placements (e.g., case studies) are accurate, comprehensive and stored securely in accordance with Data Protection Regulations.
- Ensure records are kept for a minimum of seven years, or in the case of a minor – seven years after they reach the age of 18 years.
- Ensure their working conditions are suitable for the practice of their therapy.
- Ensure they are physically, medically and mentally fit to practice.
- Ensure that all suggestions are fully explained to the client and that the client has understood them.
- Respect a client’s right to refuse or ignore suggestions given.
- Ensure that proper authority is obtained for clients under the age of consent and that consent is given by a legally appropriate and competent person, and confirmed in writing with a date and signature.
- Ensure clients are not financially, sexually or emotionally exploited.
- Ensure knowledge is not acquired from clients for any personal gain.
- Ensure the clinic appointment confirmation email sent to clients prior to their clinic consultation, states that there may be a small number of student or other observers present at their consultation.
CNM is committed to Safeguarding Adults by ensuring that our activities are delivered in a way which keeps adults safe, in line with current legislation.
CNM has created a culture of zero-tolerance of harm to adults through its commitment to best safeguarding practice by upholding the rights of all adults to live a life free from harm, abuse, exploitation and neglect, regardless of age, ability or disability, sex, race, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.
All reports of concern about the safety and welfare of an adult must be reported promptly to the Director of Studies / Online Tutor who will report the known information to the Managing Director at head office. The Managing Director will take appropriate action in line with the Safeguarding of Adults legislation.
