The scope of acupuncture
In March 2020, the British Acupuncture Council published ‘The scope of acupuncture. Exploring acupuncture as a modern healthcare solution’.
The 64-page document was in response to a recommendation by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Integrative Healthcare in 2018, that the government look into the possible benefits for the NHS when complementary, traditional and natural medicines are integrated with conventional Western medicine.
The aim of the British Acupuncture Council was ‘to press the case for acupuncture as a treatment that could be used alongside conventional medicine to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs in the UK’ by summarising ‘the evidence on safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, together with information on practitioner training and regulation, and see how acupuncture might be a good fit for the NHS’.
It’s packed full of easy-to-interpret infographics alongside examples of real life best practice in many different situations, with comments from the patients and practitioners involved.
‘This report shows the scope of acupuncture across different illnesses, in different populations and countries, in terms of patient experience and benefits for national health systems that are struggling to cope with the tide of chronic disease. Acupuncture is indeed an evidence-based healthcare solution’.
It was researched and written by Rachel Edney, an experienced medical writer and acupuncture practitioner. Find out more and download the report here.