30 Years
30 Year Anniversary
Southwell Acupuncture Clinic in Southwell Nottinghamshire has been treating patients for 30 years, under the ownership of Hannah Charles Lic Ac MBAcC. Treating patients with Traditional Five Element Acupuncture in the modern world with ancient teachings that reach through the test of time.
https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/contact/
In the same year, the British Acupuncture Council formed. Bringing a collection of traditional acupuncture organisations together to form an umbrella organisation for Traditional Acupuncture in the UK.
The British Acupuncture Council
Over the 30 years that I have been practicing Acupuncture the British Acupuncture Council have been working tirelessly for its members. Bringing Traditional Acupuncture into the fore of healthcare, ensuring training and professionalism is upheld. I am proud to have been a member of this supportive and professional organisation for 30 years.
Training for Traditional Acupuncturists
3 – year course
To be able to practise Traditional Acupuncture competently, you need in-depth training. The British Acupuncture Council standard is a 3-year degree-level training. This not only trains practitioners to be safe and trustworthy health care providers, but it also ensures that patients receive the highest quality treatment that gives the best results. Like all healthcare interventions, there are risks associated with acupuncture. High-quality training is important to minimise these risks.
Treating Effectively and Safely
Treating someone effectively and safely with traditional acupuncture is a complex process of diagnosis and treatment. This takes much learning and practise and requires high quality teaching.
Learning to stick a few needles into the body does not make you able to diagnose and treat someone’s complex health conditions and it does not equip you to recognise when there is a need to refer someone to their GP or to a mental health professional.
An appropriately skilled Traditional Acupuncturist is trained in –
Sophisticated clinical observation skills.
A deep understanding of the diagnostic frameworks of traditional acupuncture.
Strong emotional intelligence skills in order to sensitively and safely work people’s sometimes deeply personal or traumatic experiences.
Knowledge of how to safely find the correct treatment in situations where things are unclear.
Treatment planning skills to choose safe and effective treatment.
Practical clinical skills in needling and adjunct techniques.
Knowledge of the red flags of serious disease in order to know when a patient should get urgent medical assessment.
An extensive period of supervised clinical practise where they can learn how to treat patients while under supervision of experienced acupuncturists.
Continuing Professional Development – British Acupuncture Council Members are required to undertake at least 30 hours CPD a year once qualified.
Pittilo Report
All of these things take time and dedication from the student which is why in 2008 a government report recommended a 3-year degree course in Pittilo report and is the BAcC standard. https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2008-2163/DEP2008-2163.pdf
Traditional Acupuncture Professionally Administered
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is the UK’s largest, member-led, professional body for traditional acupuncturists, having nearly 3,000 members. Governed by an elected Governing Board and driven by a specialist staff team – to uphold professional codes.
Governing board information – https://acupuncture.org.uk/who-we-are/bacc-governance/
Professional Codes information – https://acupuncture.org.uk/who-we-are/professional-codes/
Professional Standards Authority Register
British Acupuncture Council members belong to an accredited register, regulated and approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care (PSA). The PSA protects the public by overseeing the regulation and registration of healthcare professionals – including statutorily regulated professions, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Accredited Registers like the BAcC. This offers a quality mark for high standards of training, safe practice and professional conduct.
You can read BAcC entry on PSA Register – https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/organisations-we-oversee/find-a-register/british-acupuncture-council
The British Acupuncture Accreditation Board
The British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB) fosters and monitors high-quality educational and professional standards, of Traditional Acupuncture teaching. To ensure the general public can be assured that graduates from BAAB – accredited programmes are knowledgeable, reflective, competent, and safe acupuncture practitioners. The focus of the Board’s work is the accreditation of higher education level programmes leading to a professional qualification in acupuncture.
BAAB accreditation is achieved by meeting the BAcC Standards of Education for Acupuncture and the BAAB Standards of Education and Training for Acupuncture Programmes (SETAP).
For more information about BAAB see –https://www.baab.org.uk
Recognition
NHS and Acupuncture
The NHS directs patients https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acupuncture/ when people are looking for a practitioner as the NHS only recommends PSA Accredited Register. The BAcC is the only PSA – Accredited Register for acupuncturists. The PSA Accredited Register Quality Mark proves to the public and the world of institutions and government that, as a community and an organisation, we meet the standards of regulation.
Private Health Care
Many Private Health Care companies recognise and fund acupuncture, to find companies see attached – https://acupuncture.org.uk/about-acupuncture/private-healthcare/
Hannah Charles Lic Ac MBAcC of Southwell Acupuncture Clinic
Hannah is a member of the British Acupuncture Council delivering Professional Traditional Acupuncture under the governance of the BAcC.
Treatment For You
To find out how Traditional Five Element Acupuncture can help you contact Hannah at –https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/contact/
