Support for Richard - UK regulation

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I obviously share your concern about inadequately qualified health

workers offering what they call acupuncture. Apart from doctors and

nurses, I think physiotherapists are a bigger threat to the profession

- both within the NHS and in private practice. Many offer all sorts of

alternative therapies of which they have little understanding and

would normally require a 3 year training course (eg Alexander Technique).

 

However it doesn't make sense to say the associations in the UK

" allow " the weekend wonders to practice acupuncture. They are in no

position to " allow " or dis-allow anything. The BAcC has made it's

views clear on this but has no authority to unilaterally change UK law

on this. There has been enormous pressure from European Union to

regulate all sorts of complementary medicine - in my view driven by

powerful biomedical/pharmaceutical interests. This is behind the House

of Lords Science Committee investigation into comp med. At one time

there were fears that the previously liberal law in the UK which

allows non-medically qualified acupuncturists to practice might be

over-ruled in the interests of EU 'harmonisation'. At the moment, we

seem to be winning the argument that insufficiently trained people

will not be allowed to call themselves " acupuncturists " . However, the

doctors line is that they are already regulated by the GMC and BMA and

can stick pins or anything else they like into people without having

to justify it to " lay-people " . As always, they hold most of the power

so negotiations are about what is realistically achievable in the

interests of promoting traditional practice, not about what we would

all like to see in an ideal world. With greatest of respect to

Richard, his expertise is probably not transferable to the particular

circumstances of practice within the British and EU political and

legal framework.

 

Godfrey Bartlett.

 

Chinese Medicine , " Attilio

DAlberto " <attiliodalberto> wrote:

> Hi Godfrey.

>

> I posted two messages some time ago about regulation in the UK.

> Please refer to the archives and this message.

>

> To sumamries briefly, doctors and nurses will still be able to

> practice acupuncture in the NHS after only doing a weekend course.

> Hence what will be the need for 'real' acupuncturists in the

> shopping malls and high streets of the UK if you can get it for free

> at the point of delivery on the NHS?

>

> I feel the associations in the UK are letting down tcm practitinoers

> as they allow the weekend wonderers to practice acupuncture. I also

> know of one head of an association who actually teaches the weekend

> wonderers! Therefore, were being pretty much sold out and have a

> bleak future.

>

> I hope that Richard's and others expertise in fighting for the

> rights of acupuncturists and the need to provide a quality treatment

> plan to patients, will be passed-on to us in the UK. Also, their

> energy and association backing will also be greatly benefical.

>

> Attilio

>

>

> Chinese Medicine , " acu_qichina "

> <acu@q...> wrote:

> > Hi All,

> >

> > 2 questions Attilio:

> >

> > What do you mean by the UK's regulation problems?

> >

> > How do you expect someone from the USA to be able to affect what is

> > going on in the UK government and their talks with various UK

> bodies?

> >

> > Godfrey Bartlett

> >

> >

> > <attiliodalberto> wrote:

> > > I totally support Richard's views and actions against the

> > > establishment and have even asked him to sort out the Uk's

> > > regulation problems.