Legal Considerations around Lifestyle Medicine Practise
Lifestyle Medicine is a growing global medical discipline, and its practise is evolving across healthcare sectors by regulated medical professionals as well as unregulated healthcare practitioners.
BSLM members often ask for guidance around how they can advertise or describe their skills, what indemnity and insurance is required to practise, whether they need registration with the relevant healthcare regulatory body (e.g. CQC, HIS, etc.) and how they can keep their skills up to date. The BSLM Team engaged with many of the main Providers, asking the questions, understanding the current landscape so that we can bring that together for you, our valued Members.
Please note that this information is for guidance purposes only. BSLM does not offer advice or recommend any specific provider or plan.
Please note that this information is for guidance purposes only.
Please check the latest guidance issued by your professional regulating body and discuss your indemnity needs on a case-by-case basis with indemnifiers.
Regulatory Landscape
Each Country has a specific Regulatory body and you should understand the rules relevant to your area:
England – Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Northern Ireland – Regulation & Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)
Scotland – Health Improvement Scotland (HIS)
Wales – Health inspectorate Wales (HIW)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I describe my qualifications in Lifestyle Medicine to patients?
When you have finished the Core Accreditation in Lifestyle Medicine (or those who previously completed through the BSLM/IBLM Exam) and want to describe your new skill set to patients and colleagues, it is important to describe your healthcare background and how your new skills can be used within your current training and regulatory status. This will depend on whether you are a healthcare professional, therefore subject to a legal regulatory framework or if you are a healthcare practitioner who isn’t subject to these requirements.
Am I a regulated healthcare professional or an unregulated healthcare practitioner?
Regulated/registered healthcare professionals include doctors, physiotherapists, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, optometrists etc. Unregulated/unregistered healthcare practitioners include health coaches, social prescribing link workers, nutritionists etc.
The scope of your Lifestyle Medicine practise will also vary according to your background qualifications and therefore the indemnity that is required. For example, the scope of Lifestyle Medicine practise for doctors may include prescribing and stopping medications whereas this is not included in the scope of practise for unregulated/registered practitioners.
It is a legal requirement to be clear in any advertising, correspondence or interaction with the public or with patients if you are a current, registered healthcare professional. There are 32 healthcare professions with 9 regulatory bodies, these professions are legally protected terms. You must not claim or suggest being a regulated healthcare professional if you are in fact a healthcare practitioner. It is likely to be inadequate to describe yourself as a “Lifestyle Medic” or that you “practise Lifestyle Medicine” for example, without qualifying statements around your regulatory status for example “Registered nurse with qualification in Lifestyle Medicine” would be more suitable or “Health coach with qualifications in Lifestyle Medicine”.
The overall responsibility for regulation of healthcare professions is undertaken by The Professional Standards Authority. These 32 professions are governed by statutory regulation which is overseen by professional regulatory bodies which include:
- The General Medical Council (GMC) which regulates doctors.
- The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) regulates nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
- The General Dental Council (GDC) which regulates dental professionals. This includes dentists, dental nurses, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental therapists and orthodontic therapists.
- General Optical Council (GOC) which regulates optometrists.
- General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) which regulates osteopathy practitioners.
- General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) which regulates pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in Great Britain (Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) regulates pharmacists in Northern Ireland)
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) which regulates arts therapists, biomedical scientists, chiropodists/podiatrists, clinical scientists, dietitians, hearing aid dispensers, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, paramedics, physiotherapists, practitioner psychologists, prosthetists/orthotists, radiographers and speech and language therapists.
- General Chiropractic Council (GCC) regulates the chiropractic profession.
Do I need to register with CQC and related national bodies?
CQC guidance suggests that if you intend to treat disease, disorder or injury, or use any diagnostic or screening procedures you should be registered with the CQC.
If you are looking to support patients who are well (i.e. not to treat disease) but looking to prevent illness, you may not need to register with the CQC. Please check the latest CQC guidance to ensure your practice is compliant.
What indemnity do I need to practise as a Lifestyle Medicine Regulated Professional?
Medical Indemnity is legally required to practise medicine if you are a registered medical doctor. You can read more about this on the GMC website: Insurance, indemnity and medico-legal support – information for doctors on the register – GMC.
If you work for the NHS in a hospital setting, your hospital will receive indemnity through a state backed clinical negligence scheme. But you may need additional indemnity to cover the full scope of your work. Please check your state backed clinical negligence scheme and seek advice from medical indemnity providers.
Indemnity for GP NHS work in England is provided by schemes such as the Clinical Negligence Scheme for GPs (CNSGP), administered by NHS Resolution for example. The GMC website accessed in 2025 advises that doctors still need additional indemnity to cover activities not covered by a state backed indemnity. The activities currently listed include non-NHS or private work, inquests, regulatory and disciplinary proceedings, employment and contractual disputes, and non-clinical liabilities.
Doctors who remain regulated and registered with the GMC who wish to describe their practise as, for example, “GP with Extended Role in Lifestyle Medicine” should discuss any additional cover requirements that may be needed with their usual indemnity providers to ensure that practise is covered under “usual care”. In private practise, you will need to discuss your scope of practise on a case-by-case basis with indemnity providers.
The BSLM has created an example scope of practice for Registered Medical Professionals with additional qualifications in Lifestyle Medicine here. Below are examples for both Physicians and Professionals as well as Practitioners. Please adapt these to describe accurately your planned scope of practice.
Click Here to Access The Physician and Professionals Example
Click Here to Access The Practitioner Example
Some other professional regulatory bodies also require that health care professionals maintain appropriate indemnity. For example, to be on the NMC register, nurses are required to inform the NMC of their indemnity arrangements, whether through the clinical negligence scheme or primary care arrangements. The NMC has further information: https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/registration/pii/pii-final-guidance.pdf
Similarly, physiotherapists are required to have indemnity as a condition of their registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/registration/pii/pii-final-guidance.pdf
Organisations providing indemnity for regulated medical professionals, which may cover Lifestyle Medicine practice, include:
More details on how these organisations may view Lifestyle Medicine practise by regulated professionals can be found below.
What indemnity do I need as Lifestyle Medicine Unregulated Practitioner?
As an unregulated practitioner, for example nutritionist, health coach, social prescribing link worker, fitness coach etc. you should consider indemnity to cover clinical negligence claims if you work outside of the NHS. Those who work within NHS practices are likely to find that Lifestyle Medicine (under the BSLM Lifestyle Medicine unregulated practitioner scope of practise) is part of usual care and would be covered under state backed indemnity schemes. However, if you are unsure about whether you are covered or need additional cover, you should discuss your work and scope of practise with your employing organisation or private indemnity provider.
Organisations covering Lifestyle Medicine practise for unregulated healthcare practitioners include:
- Balens Home | Balens
- Markel Sports Coach Insurance | Public Liability | Markel Direct UK
- UK Coaching Coaching Insurance – UK Coaching
- Hiscox Nutritionist & Dietitian Insurance | Buy Online | Hiscox UK
- Ashburnham Public Liability Insurance for Nutritionists | Ashburnham Insurance
- Etc.
In summary
Indemnity is largely based on how you are registered and the scope of your practice. There are two paths:
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| Lifestyle Medicine Physicians & Professionals are those who are registered and fulfilling regulated healthcare roles and are looking to practice as such. These roles usually include “prescribing privileges”. | Lifestyle Medicine Practitioners are health care practitioners whose discipline does not yet require regulation or registration OR those who are no longer registered or do not wish to practise as registered or regulated professional roles. |
| Examples: NHS or Private Physician, Nurse Prescriber, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Clinical pharmacist, Physiotherapist | Examples: Health Coaches, previous Doctors or Nurses no longer registered with the GMC or related regulatory body but supporting people using lifestyle medicine, nutritionists, therapist, social prescribing link workers, mental health workers etc. |
Lifestyle Medicine Physician/Professional Scope of Practice
Indemnity Providers BSLM has engaged with:
This is only a guide and may not be up-to-date. Whilst we have engaged with the providers below, indemnities are very specific to each person/entity and we advise you make your own enquiries and share your planned scope of practise.
Medical Defence Society:
We engaged directly with Medical Defence Society who agree with the Scope of Practice of BSLM and offer memberships for both NHS and Private GP work (for both individual GPs/ANPs and GP clinics and practices).
Their individual memberships are currently offered to GPs and ANPs only, they do cover other healthcare professions under group memberships for Clinics and Practices. They offer an introductory discount of 10% on the first year’s membership fees for new individual members (subject to minimum membership fee). Use promo code BSLM in the application form to receive the discount. info@medicaldefensesociety.com
Balens:
Balens focus on practitioners rather than regulated Healthcare professionals and engage closely with BSLM to create alignment and value for a BSLM Members and Trailblazers scheme. They are a Specialist Insurance Broker for Health & Wellbeing, Fitness, Beauty, other Health Professionals and organisations. The scheme covers professional liability & malpractice insurance and optional cover for Personal Accident Insurance and Business Equipment ‘All Risks’ Insurance. To get cover, call on 01684 580771 or email (info@balens.co.uk to receive the enquiry info. As long as you mention that you are a member of the BSLM, they will be sent the documents to apply for cover via this scheme. You will need to complete the declaration form and return it by email.
MDDUS:
Recent enquiries with the MDDUS team suggest that their underwriters currently consider requests for indemnity of Lifestyle Medicine practise on a case-by-case basis.
MPS:
Recent enquires with the MPS suggest that they wish to hear from individual members wishing to practise Lifestyle Medicine to fully understand the scope of practise and pattern of work.
MDU:
Recent enquiries with the MDU suggest that they are open to hearing from individual members with a scope of practise for consideration.
Completing the LMCA may demonstrate credibility in delivering Lifestyle Medicine – DO mention this in your application if you hold the qualification.
Other resources that may be of interest:
Medico-legal considerations of lifestyle medicine
How to Create a Successful Lifestyle Medicine Practice – PMC