New regulations on the licensing of acupuncture clinics and practitioners in Wales will shortly come in to force. On April 8 2024 the Welsh Government’s second consultation on the regulations and statutory guidance for mandatory licensing of special procedures, including acupuncture, closed.
Licensing of Acupuncture in Wales: BAcC’s concerns
In the BAcC response to this consultation, we highlight the risk that the current regulations may lead to the withdrawal of acupuncture services from economically deprived and/or rural areas. The restrictions on home visits in the current regulations appear to be disproportionate and may discriminate against those who are unable to travel to a designated clinic. The purpose of the proposed public register is to protect the public. However, the failure of the licensing scheme to fully assess fitness-to-practise may lead to a defacto ‘deregulation’ of acupuncture in Wales.
We would like to thank the Professional Recognition Working Group (PRWG) and members, based in and outside Wales, for all your feedback and suggestions. We will continue to do everything we can to support our members in Wales and ensure the people of Wales have access to well-trained professional acupuncturists. Hannah Bowie-Carlin, Safe Practice Manager, and I will be in Wales on the on 1 May to discuss the new regulations with local authority environmental health officers.
Previous statements on Welsh licensing can be found here.
Since this post was first published the Professional Standards Authority have published their response to the consulation. The PSA have also raised the concern that proposed licensing scheme not provide any assurance to the wider conduct and competence of the practitioner. You can access the PSA response here.
