The Professional Advice Service (PAS)  of the CSP has recently  had several enquiries from members with regard to educational programmes in acupuncture, and wishes to provide a CSP statement on the matter.

The Professional Advice Service (PAS) of the CSP receives many enquiries from CSP members on a range of issues, of late several of these have been related to educational programmes in acupuncture. At the current time, the only post-registration modality that has a formal CSP statement with regard to the expectations of educational programmes, is Therapeutic Injection Therapy in Neurological and/or MSK specialities.

A physiotherapist who wishes to practise any modality must ensure that they are educated, trained and competent in that modality. When considering professional development activites, a physiotherapist may need consider their own needs as well as the requirements of any current and/or future employer if they wish to change sectors.

The CSP understands that physiotherapists who wish to develop acupuncture skills may choose from a range of educational providers which include a range of private, professional body, and/or Higher Education Institutes. It is for the individual physiotherapist to select a course, offered by any one of these providers, which best meets the member's requirements.

The CSP does not specify which educational provider a CSP member should choose.

Practising 'physiotherapy' is predicated upon being HPC registered which in turn means completion of an HPC-approved pre-registration physiotherapy programme. Beyond that, practising any individual physiotherapy modality is not predicated upon further belonging to a specified professional network. Membership of a Professional  Network is a personal choice made by a member and is not a condition of practice, but may be seen as a positive attribute by members and employers alike.

At one point, the statutory regulation of acupuncture was being considered by Government, and it was suggested that only programmes provided by AACP, BMAS and BDAS may be approved courses meeting the requirements for regulation by the acupuncture regulator the HPC. Plans to regulate acupuncture have been indefinitley shelved so there is no restriction on the range of educational providers from which a physiotherapist may select acupuncture training.

Some employers may,  as part of the employment contract, state additional educational requirements for their professionally regulated staff who are employed to perform certain modalities. Physiotherapists may wish to check their employer's ( or future employer if there is one in mind) requirements when considering an educational provider.

Pip White - Professional Adviser
on behalf of the CSP Professional Advice Service.