Peer Support & Mentoring
An acupuncture career is a wonderfully rewarding role offering independent working, problem solving, care, compassion, research, thirst for knowledge and the ability for continued professional development but it can also be somewhat isolating and can be missing collaboration or peer support. At ARA we recognise that the peaks and troughs in private clinical practice can be much easier if shared. As such we offer our members the supportive, positive environment of small online mentoring groups that are facilitated by someone who is not only a practitioner themselves, but has undergone the rigorous Supervision and Mentoring training that is specifically for the acupuncture profession. The bond that happens between the group is a hugely supportive connection and the group remain together throughout often setting up other community communication channels. If you feel that you would like to be part of a mentoring group or you would like to offer this to your own membership body – please get in touch at clare@ara-org.uk. Clare Ward
Adding Value to our Patients
All of us have been discussing lifestyle and diet with our patients in our consultations since we began acupuncture training. We know full well that what we eat and drink has a significant effect on how well our systems function within our bodies. We have also been talking to patients about their lifestyles and not just about the merits of including some downtime into their lives but really embracing some changes that bring more harmony to the Elements. We have been the forefathers of bringing functional individualised medicine to our patients. Some patients are really motivated to make such changes to their lives, but others need more evidence and more answers. To that end, at ARA we have partnered with leading testing companies to give us training and a partnership to allow us to offer a testing service to our patients. We have arranged online training of products from Genova Diagnostics and Forth with Life so that we can provide further information to support our recommendations or suspicions or allow us to hone our treatment plans. Many tests are home kits for individual use but some require phlebotomy. To complete the service, we are offering the ability to take NHS training as a Medical Phlebotomist. We want to be able to add value to our patients but also to our practitioners. Clare Ward
Blood Donation News
Blood Donation – Exciting News! We collaboration have done it again! ARA are delighted to share important news about the Blood Transfusion Service and Acupuncture. As many of you know there has been a long battle back and forth with the regard to patients of non-statutory practitioners requiring a four month gap after acupuncture to enable them to give blood. In 2019, Tony Dickenson from the British Acupuncture Federation managed to gain agreement in principle from the Blood Transfusion Service to remove the four month gap. Since then, we have been providing evidence and working with other stakeholders of the Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) to gain exemption. Chris Davies has submitted our specialist evidence from six sources together with our Office for National Statistic (ONS) position in the healthcare professional group, which has managed to secure a new final agreement. The Current Position Only acupuncturists who are defined as healthcare professionals, i.e., are regulated by a statutory body such as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), can be included on the list of practitioners who are exempt from the four month wait. What is the Next Stage We have already achieved a huge landmark change in the UK and yet another change in legislation never accomplished before, however we still have some work to do. Our next stage is a further consultation with the health departments across the four nations and the approval of the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency). The ARA, AAC and BAF are now involved with this final stage as well as working with the key healthcare departments of the NHS to help facilitate this change as easily as possible. As usual we have not only arranged this to be possible for the ARA/BAF groups but also for other acupuncture associations. We obviously will keep all practitioners and groups updated. What Does this Mean for me and my Patients This does not mean that ARA/BAF Registrants are exempt today, but for the first time we have the agreements we have been fighting for and unless there is a sudden issue or unknown problem this should allow AAC members future exemption. Please share out to any practitioner and other acupuncture groups you know.