A certificate on a booking page may belong to a business, a course or an individual therapist. Before relying on it, ask whose name it is in and what it actually establishes.

A course certificate: ask who issued it

Request the qualification’s full name, issuing institution and the name of the person who completed it. Ask how the issuer allows a qualification to be checked. A cropped certificate image or an unexplained abbreviation is not enough to match the claim to your therapist.

Keep the question tied to the service you want. Do not assume one course establishes competence in every treatment on a provider’s menu.

T&CM registration: use the official route

For a service presented as traditional and complementary medicine, ask which recognised practice area it falls under and whether the individual is registered with the T&CM Council.

The Ministry of Health’s registered-practitioner guidance distinguishes registration from a valid practising certificate and directs readers to its practitioner-status portal. Ask the provider for the details needed to match the person to the official record.

If the portal is unavailable or the result is unclear, use the Division’s official contact route for clarification. An unsuccessful search alone is not enough to accuse someone of practising unlawfully. Do not substitute a similarly named person or treat a certificate screenshot as a current status check.

A business award is a different claim

A spa grade, company registration or membership badge is not the same document as an individual therapist’s qualification. Ask who awarded it, what it applies to and whether it is current. Keep business-level claims separate from the person who will attend your appointment.

What to keep in your notes

  • The therapist’s name and the exact qualification or registration claimed.
  • The issuing body or official register used.
  • The date checked and anything still unresolved.

Do not post someone’s identification documents or personal details in a public review. You can ask the provider to explain a mismatch without publishing the paperwork.

This is a guide to verifying claims, not a ruling on the licensing requirements for every massage service. Source: MOH registered-practitioner guidance, consulted 6 November 2026. No individual practitioner’s status has been verified here.

Return to choosing an outcall therapist for the rest of the selection process.