Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Ltd.

What Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Ltd. does

The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Limited (AACP) is a UK-based, private non-profit membership organization that operates as the largest professional body for acupuncture in the United Kingdom, representing approximately 6,000 chartered physiotherapists who practice Western Medical Acupuncture. Its stated focus is integrating evidence-based acupuncture into physiotherapy for the benefit of the patient, framed around contemporary pain science, neuroscience, and clinical reasoning rather than traditional Chinese medicine concepts such as Qi or meridians. The organization represents its members with lawmakers, the NHS, and private health insurers, and advocates for nationally recognized minimum training standards in acupuncture.

AACP's core product is the AACP Foundation Course, a postgraduate-level training program combining online theory with face-to-face practical training (4-day or 3+3 day formats), with full accredited membership requiring a minimum of 300 hours of theoretical and practical training and 10 hours of CPD every two years. Supporting offerings include Bridging Courses for lapsed or updating practitioners, an online Video CPD library (priced at £10–£15 per video), an Annual Conference, a bi-annual digital clinical journal, a public Find-a-Practitioner directory, an AACP mobile app, and top-up professional liability insurance through James Hallam covering thoracic acupuncture that addresses a CSP coverage gap. The association also runs a member-benefits ecosystem including discounts with acupuncture needle suppliers (Oxford Medical Supplies, Balance Healthcare), exercise prescription software (Rehab My Patient), PHYSIOPOD devices, and content partners such as The Journal of Chinese Medicine.

AACP's revenue model is a mix of recurring membership subscriptions (annual fees, with 12 months of membership bundled into most course purchases), one-time course fees (£589–£600 for Foundation, £435 for Bridging), unit-priced Video CPD content (£10–£15), annual conference registrations, and managed insurance/PLI commission arrangements. Courses are delivered in-person across at least six UK cities (Leamington Spa, London, Stockport, Stoke on Trent, Preston, Edinburgh); video CPD serves a globally reachable audience. The GTM motion is event- and education-driven: training events, conferences, AGMs, and CPD offerings serve as the primary member-acquisition and retention channels, with the practitioner directory functioning as a patient-facing demand generation tool for member clinicians. The association is governed by a board including CEO Paul Battersby (BSc Hons, MSc, MCSP, HCPC, FAACP), with director elections proposed at the 2026 AGM alongside the appointment of Azets Audit Services Limited as auditors.

Name

Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Ltd.

Legal name

AACP Limited

Website

https://aacp.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Limited (AACP) is a UK private non-profit membership organization representing approximately 6,000 chartered physiotherapists practicing evidence-based Western Medical Acupuncture, delivering postgraduate training, CPD, insurance, conferences, and a public practitioner directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Healthcare Training and Membership Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Research Support (CRC/CTA) (EDAOAJAO)

Keywords

• Professional membership association
• Acupuncture training courses
• Continuing professional development
• Medical acupuncture training
• Physiotherapy professional services

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions for chartered physiotherapists practicing acupuncture. Includes access to member benefits, pre-course materials, insurance coverage options, and professional networking.
2. Training Course Fees: Revenue from foundation courses, bridging courses, and continuing professional development (CPD) offerings. Foundation courses range from £589-£600; bridging courses at £435; delivered in multiple UK locations.
3. Annual Conference and AGM: Revenue from annual conferences featuring expert speakers, clinical education, and professional development. AGMs are typically free for members.
4. Video CPD Sales: Online video continuing professional development content available for purchase. Videos range from £10-£15 each, covering topics such as shoulder pathology, pelvic pain, acupuncture research, and clinical techniques.
5. Insurance Services: Top-up professional liability insurance through James Hallam providing coverage for thoracic acupuncture and other treatments, generating revenue through group policy arrangements for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The AACP operates a professional membership organisation for chartered physiotherapists practicing evidence-based Western Medical Acupuncture in the UK. It sells annual memberships, postgraduate-level Foundation Courses combining online theory with face-to-face practical training, Bridging Courses, CPD courses, a Video CPD library, and an Annual Conference. Members also receive access to a public Find a Practitioner directory, a digital clinical journal, and a group top-up professional indemnity insurance scheme covering thoracic acupuncture through James Hallam.

Product overview

The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) operates as a professional membership organization offering a comprehensive suite of services centered around its postgraduate-level AACP Foundation Courses in Western Medical Acupuncture. The core offering consists of accredited training programs combining online theory with face-to-face practical sessions, available in multiple UK locations. Supporting products include Bridging Courses for practitioners requiring updates, Video CPD for ongoing education, an Annual Conference for knowledge sharing, a Find a Practitioner directory for public access to qualified members, top-up insurance coverage for thoracic needling, a digital clinical journal, and an annual governance meeting. The organization also provides a mobile application for member engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AACP Foundation Courses in Western Medical Acupuncture Postgraduate-level accreditation training programme for HCPC-registered physiotherapists, combining online theory with face-to-face practical training to deliver evidence-based Western medical acupuncture grounded in contemporary pain science. Priced at £589–£600 per course with multiple UK locations.
• Bridging Courses Refresher training for physiotherapists who have been out of practice or need to update existing acupuncture training, priced at £435 and including 12 months of AACP membership.
• CPD Courses Continuing professional development courses available to AACP members to maintain and advance their acupuncture clinical skills and knowledge.
• Video CPD Library Online library of recorded CPD training sessions covering topics such as acupuncture for headaches, cancer survivorship, electroacupuncture, shoulder pathology, pelvic pain, and clinical technique demonstrations. Priced at £10 per standard video and £15 per premium video.
• Annual Conference Annual professional conference bringing together clinicians, educators, and researchers to share practical insight, emerging evidence, and real-world clinical experience in acupuncture and physiotherapy.
• Find a Practitioner Directory Free online search tool enabling the public to locate AACP-accredited physiotherapists by postcode, town, or city, with distance and result-count filters. Every listed practitioner is a registered physiotherapist with accredited acupuncture training.
• Top-up Professional Indemnity Insurance for Thoracic Needling Top-up professional liability insurance arranged through James Hallam providing HCPC-compliant coverage for AACP members practicing thoracic acupuncture, addressing the CSP's removal of thoracic acupuncture from standard PLI policies.
• AACP Digital Clinical Journal Bi-annual digital clinical journal distributed to members containing comprehensive research and clinical evidence on the implementation of acupuncture within physiotherapy practice.
• Annual General Meeting Annual governance meeting held virtually providing members the opportunity to engage with association direction, review finances, and participate in leadership voting processes. Free for members.
• AACP Mobile Application Mobile application launched for AACP members to stay connected with the organization, access resources, and engage with the AACP community on the go.
• AACP Annual Membership Annual membership subscription for chartered physiotherapists that includes access to member benefits, pre-course materials, insurance coverage options, professional networking, the Video CPD library, the digital clinical journal, and listing on the public practitioner directory.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 6,000 members representing the largest acupuncture organization in the UK
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• James HallamcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 July 2026Insurance broker providing top-up professional liability insurance (PLI) for AACP members. The policy is HCPC-compliant and ensures coverage for thoracic acupuncture treatment, addressing CSP's removal of this coverage from standard PLI.
• Harmony MedicalcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2026AACP's main partner as displayed on homepage banner. Harmony Medical provides acupuncture supplies and products to members, supporting the association's mission to enable evidence-based acupuncture practice.
• Oxford Medical Supplies LtdminorOthersMajor supplier of acupuncture needles in the UK with seven different brands. Maintains rigid quality control through owned manufacturing factory. Supplies physiotherapists in private practice and NHS.
• Balance Healthcare LimitedminorOthersSupplier of high-quality acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine products. Partners with recognized experts to create products combining ancient traditions and modern thinking.
• Rehab My PatientminorOthersExercise prescription software provider. Established in 2011, offers AACP members a special discount on their platform for prescribing exercise plans to patients.
• The Journal of Chinese MedicineminorOthersEstablished in 1979, publishes traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture content. Offers member discounts on digital subscriptions for AACP members.
• PHYSIOPODminorOthersExclusive UK and Ireland provider of DEEP OSCILLATION electrostatic therapy and Physiomed medical devices. Featured in conference presentations on combined treatment approaches.
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional body for physiotherapists in the UK. AACP members require CSP membership or equivalent insurance. Ongoing engagement regarding professional standards, insurance coverage, and policy development.
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body for health and care professionals in the UK. AACP training ensures HCPC compliance for member physiotherapists practicing acupuncture.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• British Acupuncture Council (BAcC): The UK's main self-regulatory body for traditional acupuncture practitioners. BAcC is the closest competitor in the UK acupuncture space, with overlapping practitioner directory, training accreditation, and insurance offerings, but is grounded in traditional Chinese medicine concepts rather than Western medical acupuncture.
• Physio First: The UK membership organisation for physiotherapists working in private practice, offering CPD, insurance support, and advocacy. Physio First is a structural peer to AACP as a chartered-physiotherapy specialty association, though it focuses on private practice rather than acupuncture specifically.
• British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS): The UK professional body for doctors and other healthcare professionals practising medical acupuncture. BMAS is a direct peer to AACP, offering similar training courses, CPD, and advocacy for evidence-based acupuncture, but its membership is drawn from physicians rather than physiotherapists.

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP): The UK professional body and trade union for chartered physiotherapists. AACP members must hold CSP membership or equivalent insurance, and the two organisations co-operate on professional standards, insurance, and policy — making CSP the broad incumbent that AACP operates within.

Regional players

• Acupuncture New Zealand: New Zealand's self-regulatory body for acupuncturists, providing registration, training standards, and a public practitioner register. Comparable in scope and mission to AACP but operating as a New Zealand national body rather than a UK specialty sub-group.
• Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA): The main national association representing acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners in Australia. AACMA is a regional peer offering similar membership, training recognition, and public-practitioner referral services, but in the Australian regulatory and market context.
• American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA): The US-based professional society for physician acupuncturists, providing board certification, training, and advocacy. AAMA is a regional peer: comparable in mission (advancing evidence-based medical acupuncture) but operating in a different national market with physician, rather than physiotherapist, members.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acupuncture-association-of-chartered-physiotherapists-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists Ltd.