Source: http://www.health4media.com/uk/pressrelease.php?id=9457&mo=5&referencekey=56c416278a4eed268bd5c982e8ffa76c

Acupuncture as a cost-effective treatment for musculoskeletal disorders was highlighted at a recent meeting held in the House of Commons in a presentation by professional network the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP).

Chair of the AACP Vivienne Dascanio and her team gave a 75-minute presentation to the Parliamentary Group for Integrated Healthcare on the evidence-based practices used by AACP members. The talk demonstrated that the early intervention of acupuncture treatment and physiotherapy can significantly reduce the overall cost to society of managing musculoskeletal conditions.

Speaking after the presentation, Mrs Dascanio said: "Musculoskeletal injury is the biggest cause of work absenteeism, with enormous expense to UK industry. Some 119 million working days are lost each year to back pain and 60 per cent of work-related illnesses are the result of back, neck or limb problems.

"Acupuncture as part of a physiotherapy service is presently widely accepted within the NHS and private practice. However, we need to ensure that GP practices and healthcare commissioners understand the very high professional standard of AACP members' acupuncture services, and that supporting our physiotherapists to provide acupuncture requires minimal or no additional NHS funding when provided as an integrated part of a physiotherapy service. It also has much wider benefits to the health and economic wellbeing of society."

The AACP is the UK's largest professional acupuncture organisation. A principal objective of the AACP is to enhance the integration of acupuncture into mainstream physiotherapy for the management of pain and systemic conditions. The AACP has more than6,500 member physiotherapists using acupuncture within the NHS, private practice and within the armed services.