The British Chiropractic Association Launches Patient Charter to Members and the Public
In November, the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) launched its new Patient Charter to its members and the general public, as part of the second phase of its ‘Repositioning Project’ which aims to continue the BCA’s mission to be ‘the home of chiropractors who put patients first’. The Patient Charter is a pledge, from BCA chiropractors to their patients, to remind them of the quality care they’ll receive which is laid out in such a way that any patient can start a conversation from it, and any chiropractor can explain it without much labour.
Created by the BCA to provide patients with reassurance, the Patient Charter acts as a transparent agreement between patients and BCA Chiropractors, ensuring that patient-centred, evidence-informed care is provided at all times.
In a bid to end misperceptions and myths about the Chiropractic profession, the Patient Charter highlights that Chiropractic is a strongly regulated and rigorous profession, with regulation helping to provide consistency, such as the standard of education and training required. Chiropractors are regulated by law and required to adhere to strict Codes of Practice, in the same way as dentists and doctors.
President Catherine Quinn commented, “The Patient Charter is a pledge that every one of our BCA Chiropractors can be proud of. It proudly reiterates the reputation for BCA Chiropractor’s as being credible, evidence-informed, ethical experts working within the modern healthcare sector.
“Every BCA Chiropractor recognises their role, as the healthcare professional, to help empower the patient to make an informed decision about their treatment that is based on individual needs. This patient-centred approach is at the core of everything we do at the BCA.”
The ‘Repositioning Project’, which has played a pivotal role in changing the healthcare landscape for the better since it launched last year, is the most far-reaching consultation in the BCA’s 97-year history. Since the completion of the project, the BCA has continued to use its extensive consultation programme to further address any gaps found, specifically the way in which the association is communicating its high standards with patients. The Patient Charter is the second phase of this project, and work will continue into 2023 to further address how the BCA can always strive to be better.
About the British Chiropractic Association: The BCA is the largest and longest-standing association for Chiropractors in the UK and has been named ‘Best Professional Body of the Year’ at the Memcom Excellence Awards 2022 for its Repositioning Project which has played a pivotal role in changing the healthcare landscape for the better. As well as promoting international standards of education and exemplary conduct, the BCA supports Chiropractors to progress and develop to fulfil their professional ambitions with honour and integrity, at every step. The BCA is raising awareness about the rigour, relevance and evidence driving the profession and the association’s ambition for chiropractic to be more closely embedded within mainstream healthcare.