Gillian Carpenter Acupuncture

11/06/2025

As reported in BBC News today, the NHS has raised significant concern over an estimated 200,000 blood donor shortfall and has urgently called for more donors to come forward. The British Acupuncture Council has consistently lobbied for a change in blood donation regulations because they are unnecess...

26/03/2025

26/03/2025

According to an article published in the Guardian, Independent, BBC Radio 4 and BBC News today.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has issued a warning to those undergoing IVF about “unproven extras” to increase their chances of having a baby. Acupuncture is highlighted as one of these “unproven extras”. However, recent systematic reviews indicate that acupuncture may increase the likelihood of having a baby.
It is very important that people are given the information they need to help them make an informed decision. There are a number of issues that the articles do not fully explore.
Ian Appleyard Research and Policy Manager has detailed these in his response.

https://acupuncture.org.uk/news/three-quarters-of-uk-fertility-patients-using-unproven-add-on-treatments-baccs-response/

Alex Jacobs CEO has released the following statement to the media outlets, we hope they choose to publish our statement to make their articles a more holistic view of the evidence.

Recent systematic reviews indicate that acupuncture may well be beneficial for those undergoing IVF. For example, Smith et al. (2019) suggests that 'acupuncture may be effective when compared with no adjunctive treatment.' In addition, there are significant methodological factors which may lead the research to underestimate the true effect of acupuncture. Clinical trials often only use a fixed protocol of acupuncture points, one or two treatments and do not factor in that placebo acupuncture is still an active treatment. BAcC members have a minimum 3 year degree-level training and can tailor the treatment according to the specific needs of the individual patient.

05/01/2025

16/11/2024

Been a member of this professional body for over 30 years now!

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘂𝗽𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆.
Acupuncture is a 5000 year old system of medicine that is backed by strong scientific evidence. It may be able to help you but...

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘂𝗽𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲, 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘂𝗽𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁?

You can check the British Acupuncture Council Practitioner Directory.
https://acupuncture.org.uk/find-an-acupuncturist/

The British Acupuncture Council is the 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 UK membership organisation for Acupuncturists that has standards independently checked by the government backed Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

This standard guarantees that you will find an acupuncturist who is
a) degree level trained and
b) subject to independently verified standards of good governance

This means that when you choose a BAcC member you know they are independently assessed to be well trained, safe and subject to ongoing professional standards.

05/06/2024

Just so you know. Acupuncture can help in so many ways! 😊

Wellbeing Magazine covers How Acupuncture Can Benefit You in the category Health

07/05/2024

Back pain was one of the conditions included in a large systematic review, along with osteoarthritis of the knee, neck pain, migraine, tension headache, and shoulder pain.

As far as we are aware, this is the largest high-quality systematic review that evaluates acupuncture for any condition. In summary, the Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis is the most reliable assessment of acupuncture to date.

For the above chronic pain conditions the review found:
• acupuncture is superior to ‘no acupuncture controls’
• acupuncture is superior to placebo
• the clinically relevant effects of acupuncture on chronic pain persist overtime
• referral for acupuncture treatment is a reasonable option for chronic pain patients

The British Acupuncture Council is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, therefore GPs are permitted to refer patients to BAcC registered practitioners.

We have research fact sheets for back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, facial pain, headache, fibromyalgia plus more on our website.

*A reduction in pain of 50% or more.
**Other treatments: medication or physio therapy or exercise and advice.

[1] Vickers AJ, Vertosick EA, Lewith G, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. J Pain 2018;19(5):455-74. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005 / https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(17)30780-0/fulltext

15/04/2024

For all you gardeners out there!

Many complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), such as acupuncture, are commonly used for pain relief.

05/03/2024

Acupuncture can help with a lot more than people realise !

March is Endometriosis Action Month hosted by .uk

It is reported that Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women and those assigned female at birth in the UK.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis by Geise et al concluded acupuncture treatment for endometriosis demonstrated clinically relevant improvements in pelvic pain and should be considered as a potential treatment intervention [1].

The British Acupuncture Council's practitioner register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. PSA accreditation means our members are highly trained, and GP referrals for acupuncture treatment might be possible.

If you're living with symptoms of Endometriosis - reach out to a BAcC registered practitioner for more information using the practitioner search tool on our website.

[1]. Giese, N., Kwon, K. K., & Armour, M. (2023). PMID: 38033648
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38033648/

17/02/2024

Maybe he might pass through Emsworth one day!

29/01/2024

https://acupuncture.org.uk/news/ear-acupuncture-whats-the-deal/

Inspite of all the negative publicity about Ear Seeds on Dragons Den.
When used by a professional ear acupuncture can be amazing!

Ear acupuncture - what's the deal? Ear acupuncture also known as auricular acupuncture, has a very interesting history. In the 1950s a French doctor, Paul Nogier, noticed small burn marks in the ears of some of his Algerian patients. These patients had been treated by a lay practitioner called Madam...