Press Releases 

BMAS leads on integration of acupuncture into NHS

The British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) welcomes the publication of the British Medical Association¹s (BMA) report into acupuncture.

The BMA¹s report concludes that  acupuncture works, is safe (safer than many drugs prescribed daily by doctors) and should be made available on the NHS.

This represents a sea change in the opinion of the medical establishment.

The BMAS has been working for many years to integrate acupuncture into the NHS and trains doctors in acupuncture. It is impressive that nearly half the GPs in the BMA¹s survey wanted to receive training in acupuncture. The increasing demand by doctors for training in acupuncture has been so great that this year we have had to increase the number of courses we offer doctors around the country.

All BMAS members are doctors, most of whom work in the NHS. Over a thousand are GPs and many offer acupuncture free to their NHS patients.

The BMAS is committed to train more doctors in acupuncture and to integrate acupuncture further into the NHS. We shall shortly be opening our own acupuncture clinic in central London (press release to follow).

The fact that nearly half of the GPs in the BMA survey have arranged acupuncture for their patients and that 79% want to see acupuncture available on the NHS demonstrates that acupuncture has now well and truly arrived in this country. The BMAS will continue to work towards making acupuncture available on the NHS to all.

The British Medical Acupuncture Society recommends safe and responsible acupuncture treatment from a medically qualified acupuncturist.

Details of medically qualified acupuncturists can be obtained from:

The British Medical Acupuncture Society
Newton House, Newton Lane, Whitley, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4JA
Tel: 01925-730727    
Fax: 01925-730492 
Internet: www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk 

For further information please contact:
Dr Richard Halvorsen, BMAS Press Officer
Tel: 020-7354 0031 (H)
Tel: 020-7405-3541 (W)