New Zealand Acupuncture Standards Authority Incorporated (NZASA)

What is NZASA?

The New Zealand Acupuncture Standards Authority Inc (NZASA) is a standards-based registration and disciplinary body committed to maintaining standards of clinical competency in acupuncture in NZ.

The standards have been developed to regulate acupuncture and to ensure a minimum level of practitioner knowledge and competency in the profession.

NZASA was established in 2000 as an Incorporated Society. It is independent from, and not aligned with, any one qualification-granting institution.

NZASA is part of the collective profession applying to have acupuncture recognised under the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act 2003, and will prepare its members for that transition.

How does it work?

NZASA is underpinned by ethical, technical and practice standards, which are implemented through the registration and certification programme and through a code of conduct and disciplinary procedures that apply to all its Registered Acupuncturists.

NZASA has the capability to assess, prescribe and monitor the qualifications in acupuncture offered by educational institutions. It maintains a schedule of approved institutions and courses.

NZASA operates a competency assessment regime that includes workplace evaluation by qualified assessors.

Who does it register?

NZASA maintains a Register of Competency Assured Practitioners who are statutorily recognised as ACC providers in terms of Section 6 (1) of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation (IPRC) Act 2001.

Minimum qualifications as per the IPRC Act Section 6 (1) are as follows:

A qualified health professional registered to practice in some other medical discipline in New Zealand who holds a recognised postgraduate qualification in acupuncture of a minimum of 120 credits (1 year full time) at Level 8 or above, or
The National Diploma in Acupuncture (Level 7) or equivalent.

Contact

Registrar / Secretary
Vanessa Morgan
44 Greenlane East
Remuera
Auckland
tel: +64 9 520 1919
fax: +64 9 520 4026
email:

Core Documents

NZASA has adopted and periodically reviews its core documents, including:

Membership Options

Registered Membership

New Graduates

Application Fee Evaluation of documentation and qualifications (NDA and others), and professional visit. Applicants living outside the Auckland area will be charged for travel costs.	$100 plus GST
Annual Practicing Certificate	$350 plus GST *1st year only*

Applicants who the NZ National Diploma in Acupuncture (NDA).
Applicants who hold the NDA and practice acupuncture without ACC accreditation.
Applicants who hold the NDA and are ACC treatment providers.

Application Fee Evaluation of documentation and qualifications (NDA and others), and professional visit. Applicants living outside the Auckland area will be charged for travel costs.	$100 plus GST
Annual Practicing Certificate	$575 plus GST

Applicants who hold any other qualification (NZ or overseas).

Applicants should have their overseas qualification evaluated by the NZQA Qualification Recognition Services (QRS) before they apply for registration. This process produces an evaluation report, showing the nearest comparable NZ qualification. See the NZQA website for costs:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-international/qual-eval/international/fees.html

Application Fee Evaluation of documentation and qualifications, and professional visit. Applicants living outside the Auckland area will be charged for travel costs.	$100 plus GST
Assessment of equivalence against NDA if required Upskilling if required	Quote given Quote given
Annual Practicing Certificate	$575 plus GST

Non-Registered Membership

Membership	$80 incl GST
Student Membership	$40 incl GST

Benefits:

Public liability and indemnity insurance (full medical cover)
Educational opportunities
Membership of a government recognized Registration Authority
Potential to be accredited as an ACC treatment provider (if registration requirements are met)

Applications

If you wish to join NZASA, please download this form and post it to the Registrar with your payment.

If you have any queries regarding NZASA registration requirements, please contact the , or post your queries to:
44 Greenlane East
Remuera
Auckland

Thank you.

Annual Practicing Certificate
$575 plus GST

Benefits

ACC Treatment Provider status
NZASA annual membership
Public liability and indemnity insurance (full medical cover)
Recognition by insurance companies

Annual Practicing Certificate requirements:

to belong to an acupuncture "professional body", or
to be registered with a health profession recognised by the HPCA Act (e.g. Nursing Council, NZ Physiotherapy Board etc); and
to meet annual competency measures and ongoing education requirements (20 hours).