Traditional Chinese medicine was accepted into Australia's National registration and accreditation scheme for health professionals as from the 1st of July 2012.
The CEO of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA) says the process has taken a long time, but being a part of the mainstream health system is the end result.
[Judy James, Chief Executive Officer, AACMA]:
“Our organization is absolutely delighted that nationally registration has commenced. We’ve been working towards this for over 20 years.
One main benefit for clients is the protection gained from national registration.
[Judy James, Chief Executive Officer, AACMA]:
“The greatest benefit is for the public so that they can identify who is qualified, who is registered, and also so that there’s a mechanism for handling complaints against registered practitioners.
A Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner from Melbourne says there's an amazing depth of knowledge in China's history.
[Mychelle Whitewood, Chinese Medicine Practitioner]:
"With over 5,000 years of developing their system, Chinese Medicine is a very sophisticated treatment for the human body and can be used as a primary health care system and works really well alongside Western Medicine."
Traditional Chinese Medicine is all about achieving balance in the body.
[Mychelle Whitewood, Chinese Medicine Practitioner]:
I guess what I really like about Chinese Medicine, and I find that I'm drawn to study on a daily basis even when its not conscious, is that it's fascinating. The culture fascinates me, the history of the different philosophies, there's many stems and branches of Chinese Medicine. Whether its the Qi Gong, or the medicine, the diet therapy, the acupuncture, and the bodywork all work in unison.
AACMA's president says the recognition of Chinese medicine is something to be proud of.
[Richard Li, President, AACMA]:
“… Australia becomes the first Western country to have national registration and accreditation system for Chinese medicine… we all feel proud and excited about our future.”
Traditional Chinese Medicine has stood the test of time. It's been around for over 5,000 years and is still going strong.