Membership Options

NZASA recognises that practitioner needs vary from one person to another.  It therefore offers two membership types.:

  • Registered Member
  • Non Practicing Member

All applicants must fill in the relevant Application form (refer membership pages).  Fees are detailed on the above membership option pages and in the application form.

Registration process

NZASA’s registration process includes a one-off Clinic Inspection and Professional Visit that is designed to assist the applicant meet NZASA’s professional practicing requirements. For example, the check list includes the use of single-use sterile disposable needles, adequate light, heating and ventilation, audio and visual privacy, fees and qualifications on display and evidence of record keeping.  The visit  includes a review of history taking and evidence of an ability to write history forms up in English. 

The Clinic Inspection and Professional Visit includes a questionnaire on NZASA’s Standards of Acupuncture Practice, Code of Ethics and Codes of Safe Practice for Acupuncturists which all applicants must complete and submit at the time of the visit.  

The Clinic Inspection form can be viewed in a single document here.

Overseas applicants

Applicants with an overseas qualification are required to go through special application procedures as described on the Registered Membership page. 

Resources and Insurance

Acupuncture brochures, history and follow-up forms, consent forms and other help are all available to NZASA members at minimal or no cost.  These resources are available through the Members section or by contacting the Registrar.

NZASA has negotiated a Public Liability and Indemnity Insurance group scheme offer available to any member if required.  If you are interested in this, contact the Registrar. You will be put in contact with APEX General who are the brokers who administer the insurance scheme.

Standards, Ethics & Safe Practice

NZASA requires all members, regardless of their type of membership, to abide by NZASA’s: 
Standards of Acupuncture Practice
Code of Safe Practice for Acupuncturists

…along with the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.

The Clinic Inspection and Professional Visit includes a questionnaire on these Standards, Ethics and Safe Practice which all applicants must complete and submit at the time of the visit.  

Sterile Single-use Disposable Needles

All NZASA members are required to use sterile, single-use disposable needles as per sections C & E of the NZASA Codes of Safe Practice for Acupuncturists, and sections 13.3 of the NZASA Codes of Ethics.  All NZASA members are recognised by the NZ Blood Donor Service.  

Ongoing Education

NZASA encourages all members to maintain their ongoing education.  NZASA is solely a registration body and therefore does not offer educational courses directly to its members.  This is in keeping with the professional requirements of the HPCA Act 2003.

NZASA works with its affiliates and other groups to publicise ongoing education opportunities to its members.

NZASA’s registered members must provide evidence of 20 hours ongoing education each year as part of the renewal of registration process.  NZASA recognises courses from around New Zealand, Australia, UK, USA and other countries, as well as online courses provided by such websites as Blue Poppy, ProDSeminars and TCM Academy of Integrative Medicine.  A full list of pre-approved providers is supplied in the Members' only area of this website.  Seminars that are held in the native tongue of attendees that do not require a translator will be eligible to seek NZASA approval for standard CPD hours.

First Aid Certificates

As ratified at the 2013 NZASA AGM, NZASA members will need to provide evidence of holding a current First Aid certificate as part of their re-registration requirements from 2015 onwards. For a First Aid course to be approved by NZASA it MUST be an assessed course.  

 The following providers are approved by NZASA:

 If you wish to attend a course from another provider, please email the details to the Registrar before doing the course to ensure it meets NZASA approval.

 Or visit this:

https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/results.do?frameworkId=1415815793&unitStandardId=6402&regionCode=30

 

 

Important:  Renewal of Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) requirements

Registered members must:

* provide proof of 20 hours ongoing education/training every year 
(e.g. conferences, workshops, peer review groups, online seminars etc.)

 A document describing the NZASA Registration Standard for CPD can be accessed here.

The 20 hours can be made up of:

 

Category 1: Ethics 

 

A minimum of two hours required per year in courses related directly to law and ethics, safe practice and standards as related to patient recruitment, care and discharge.  

 

Examples of Category 1 course topics include but are not limited to: 

 

  • Law and ethics.
  • Safe practice and professional standards.
  • Health facility standards and clinical hygiene practices.
  • Ethical advertising guidelines in New Zealand.
  • Clean needle technique and disease transmission.
  • Cultural competency courses.

 

 

 

Category 2: Chinese medicine 

 

A minimum of 12 hours required per year in courses related to clinical matters or the actual provision of acupuncture and Chinese medicine health care to patients. 

 

This category excludes any CPD directed at skills for personal benefit or personal cultivation.  Examples of Category 2 courses include but are not limited to: 

 

  • Acupuncture and Chinese medicine (Includes Chinese herbs, TuiNa, Moxibustion, Cupping, GuaSha, CM nutrition and lifestyle counselling).
  • Research and evidence-based medicine as related to acupuncture and CM.
  • Qi gong theory and techniques, other than for self-cultivation.

 

 

 

Category 3:  Other health care and courses (unrelated to clinical matters or the provision of healthcare to patients).   

 

No minimum is required in Category 3. A maximum of six hours can be claimed in a registration year.  This is an optional category that covers courses related to clinical matters, the actual provision of acupuncture and Chinese medicine health care to patients, or practitioner self-care. 

 

Examples of Category 3 courses include but are not limited to: 

 

  • Western biomedicine and biological sciences (pathophysiology, clinical pathology, etc).

 

  • Scientific or clinical content with a direct bearing on the quality of patient care, community or public health or preventive medicine.

 

  • Courses designed to develop a practitioner’s patient education skills, including (but not limited to) patient education in therapeutic exercise techniques, nutritional counselling and biomechanical education.

 

  • Courses designed to enhance a practitioner’s ability to communicate effectively with other medical practitioners.

 

  • Courses in the behavioural sciences, patient counselling and patient management and motivation if such courses are specifically oriented to use in the clinical setting for the improvement of patient health.
  • Business development and practice management courses unrelated to clinical matters and direct patient care, including administrative record keeping, laws and regulations unrelated to clinical medicine, general business organisation and management, marketing and practice building.

 

  • Breathing and other exercises, i.e. qi gong and taiji quan that are for the benefit of the licensee and not the patient.

 

NZASA members who complete more than the required 20 hours per year can request a maximum of 20 of those additional hours be credited to the following year. CPD can be carried forward only one year.

AND

* provide proof of holding a current First Aid certificate.

APCs are only re-issued following proof of these requirements 

Mandatory Declaration

At the time of the original application and each year with the renewal of membership process, members are required to complete a Mandatory Declaration form.

NZASA respects and maintains confidentiality but requires information about the following areas be kept on file for all members:
•Fitness to practice
•Criminal charges
•Claims for medical malpractice
•Professional conduct

Health Workforce Survey

Completion of an annual Health Workforce Survey (online) is mandatory.

Working with ACC

NZASA works with ACC to ensure its members are fully informed about their responsibilities as ACC Treatment Providers.

NZASA supplies Practitioner Information brochures to all new members which includes advice about how to work with ACC, what ACC expects of a Treatment Provider, and where to obtain forms and other materials needed by practitioners.

NZASA also liaises with its affiliate groups about these issues.