Acupuncture needles are very fine and the sensation is usually mild and lasts only for a moment. You may not feel some of the needles at all.
A set of between four and six sessions will allow us to assess the benefit of acupuncture for you. After this, sessions will be more spaced out, to ensure continuing benefit for you. Once you are feeling better, you may decide to have two or three treatments a year for ‘maintenance’.
Helen Smallwood, Michelle Spicer and Philip Rose-Neil all qualified with Licentiates in Acupuncture from the College of Traditional Acupuncture (Warwickshire) after three years’ training.
They each have an honours degree (BA) in Traditional Acupuncture accredited by Oxford Brookes.
They are all members of the British Acupuncture Council and are therefore bound by their codes of safety and ethics. They each carry full professional indemnity, and public liability insurance cover.
 The benefits of acupuncture are wide-ranging from pain relief, to helping with emotional problems and stress, to supporting fertility and even giving up smoking.
Regardless of the condition you are being treated for, you may also experience effects of increased energy, motivation, better sleep and calmer/better mood. Please contact_us for more information on how we can help you.
Unfortunately, recent retrictions mean that you now have to wait 6 months after a course of acupunture before donating blood again.
Acupuncture is complementary, and can be used alongside treatment you receive from your GP or hospital doctors, without interfering with other drug or treatment you are receiving. However, we advise that you do tell your GP that you are using it, so they can be fully informed.
Acupuncture is based on the ancient Chinese people’s views of the body and the rhythms of nature, and is not based on religious or spiritual beliefs. Therefore using acupuncture does not conflict with your own personal religious beliefs.
If you have a healthcare plan, it may reimburse you the cost, or some of the cost of acupuncture as long as the practitioner is a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC).
- Helen Smallwood’s BAcC number is 958662
- Michelle Spicer’s BAcC number is 958902
- Philip Rose-Neil BAcC number is 959362
The following healthcare companies and cash plans reimburse for acupuncture: This list was last updated May 2012, and policies can change, so please check with your provider. A general list, and contact details for many of the below organisations can be accessed by Click here
Aviva
Cash4Health & BHSF
BUPA (Some cash plans)
Cigna
CS Healthcare
Emgage Mutual Assurance
Exeter Family Friendly
General & Medical Healthcare
Healthshiield
HSF
Medicash
National Friendly
PHSA
Pru Health
Sovereign Health Care
Simply Healthcare
Universal Provident
WHA
HSA Health Cash Plan
Groupama
Saga Health Cash Plan
WPA
Health Sure healthcare cash plan
Westfield Health Good4u Healthcare cash plan
Benenden Best Health Cash Plan
Standard Life 24 Health cash plan
Barclays Everyday Health Cash plan
HSBC Health Cash Plan
Pinnacle Health CashBack
WHCA : Orchard Healthcare Cashplan
Inside your membership pack you will have a membership number, have this to hand, and then ring 01323 416550 or 0800 6523188, and they will talk you through what you need to do, depending on your membership level. Or use the members area of their website found at
www.arthriticassociation.org.uk We accept cash, cheques, and debit and credit cards although we have to make a small charge to use card payments. Receipts for card payments are provided electronically through the Worldpay system, rather than in paper form. Paper receipts are available if required.
