#AcupunctureAwarenessWeek2023
What is the role of the British Acupuncture Council?
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is the UK’s largest, member-led, professional body for traditional acupuncturists. We aim to establish the highest standards of professional practice for the Acupuncture profession in the UK and we’re committed to ensuring all patients receive the highest standard of professional care during their acupuncture treatment.
We have nearly 3,000 members who we put at the heart of everything we do. We support acupuncturists on their journey from student through to full practising member and are proud that our members belong to an accredited register, regulated and approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care (PSA).
Our Strategy
Our five year Strategy (2021-2026) has been developed to guide the BAcC in its service to members so that, in their practice, traditional acupuncturists can flourish as healthcare professionals, making an important contribution to the health and wellbeing of people in the UK.
Our six key pillars are:
- Always put members at the heart of what we do
- Raise the profile of our members
- Uphold professional standards
- Help members to deliver best practice and to run a business
- Run the BAcC as an organisation that is cost-effective, open and accountable
- Strive to be a green and environmentally-friendly organisation, in line with current best practice.
Our Governing Board
The BAcC Governing Board (GB) is made up of five practitioner directors (including the Chair) and four non-practitioner directors. Their role is to ensure that the BAcC meets its responsibilities to:
- promote the benefits of traditional acupuncture as a valid system of healthcare
- safeguard the public
- promote BAcC members’ interests
- uphold benchmark standards of education and practice
Our Committees
Our Committees play an integral role in how we serve our members and the public, and we are extremely grateful to everyone who plays a part.
The Membership Services Committee (MSC) offers oversight of the development and promotion of membership services, including professional development, regional support, public relations and opportunities for businesses. It also oversees the recruitment and retention of members, ensuring that membership policies and procedures are fit for purpose.
The Professional Recognition Working Group (PRWG) is a subset of our Membership Services Committee. It’s important that we encourage recognition of the profession and promote our members’ high standards and professionalism, so PRWG works together to look at different avenues to achieve this.
Our Professional Standards and Regulatory Committee (PSRC) oversees the development and promotion of core practice standards for the profession. It sets standards for education, training, examination and research and oversees policy and guidelines concerning safety and professional standards, providing recommendations on action to the Governing Board and ensuring all recommendations enhance or maintain the BAcC’s PSA accredited register status.
The Finance Risk & Audit Committee (FRAC) ensures BAcC internal controls and risk management processes protect the integrity of the BAcC brand and are consistent with current UK good practice. It also oversees relationships with external auditors and ensures financial reports are accurate and timely.
Collaboration is key
Life post-COVID has been a good opportunity for BAcC to re-establish bonds with like-minded organisations. By collaborating, we’re playing an active part in something bigger, working together to improve the profile of members and the profession. We actively work with the following organisations:
European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA)
British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB)
Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM)
Research Council of Complementary Medicine
British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) and Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP)
Council of Head of Acupuncture Colleges (CHAC)
Accredited Register Collaborative (ARC)
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We value diversity and believe equality is not about treating everyone the same; it is about ensuring that the opportunities that are available are accessible to all. BAcC has a duty to act in the best interests of our staff, our members, and all patients, all of whom come from diverse backgrounds with diverse needs. We are aware that there is much work to be done to achieve the changes needed to accomplish a fairer future for all and you can read more on this, here.
Jennifer Norton, CEO
Acupuncture Awareness Week 2023
March 2023
