The Board’s Accreditation Officers

Accreditation Officers (AOs) undertake the operational work associated with the accreditation of institutions and programmes by the Board and contribute to strategic development.

They are accountable to the Chair of Accreditation Committee (AC) and manage their work independently, whilst maintaining strong relationships with each other, members of the AC, the Board, accreditation visitors, staff and students of teaching institutions in a formal relationship with the Board, and other partner organisations.

AO’s support their named institutions in their ongoing development, particularly with respect to developing and maintaining critically reflective course and institutional management, made clear in documentation submitted to the Board. They arrange visits, report on issues to the AC, and co-ordinate the AC responses.

As general issues arise from institutional reports, the AO’s may undertake specific work and produce papers for discussion at the AC or Board. They also contribute to acupuncture programme internal validation events, to British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) Committees or Advisory Groups and to the ongoing work and strategic development of the Board.

AO’s are expected to maintain their professional development through participation in conferences and developing scholarly papers, and by reflecting on and reviewing their personal performance.

The Lead AO co-ordinates the work of the AOs, the executive secretaries and the AC, working closely with the AC Chair. In addition to the AO work detailed above, the Lead also  ensures issues raised by the AC and Board are followed through and drafts the AC/Board’s annual reviews, strategic plan and annual action plan. The Lead deals with queries from potential new TI’s, maintains relations with partner organisations, manages any complaints to BAAB from organisations, individuals, students or staff, and responds to to issues raised by external government and other agencies.

Accreditation Officers

  Nina Paterson (Lead Accreditation Officer)
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Nina Paterson works for British Acupuncture Accreditation Board (BAAB)) three days a week. She leads the work of the organisation and oversees the accreditation activity, working closely with the accreditation officer(s) to do so. Working with the Board, the accreditation committee and their respective Chairs, Nina's role is to ensure BAAB’s strategic vision is met and operationalised – ensuring excellence in Acupuncture Education. 

   
 Vivien Shaw

Vivien qualified as an acupuncturist in 1992 and now has a practice near her home in North Wales.  She has extensive experience of teaching, quality assurance, validation and accreditation in higher education and was involved in the establishment of the North Wales Medical School at Bangor University. As an Associate Member of the Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning at Bangor, Vivien led the development of teaching and contributed to the revalidation and quality assurance team, mentoring staff for PGCert or Higher Education Academy awards, and developing innovative teaching techniques.

A trained anatomist, Vivien brought her interest in anatomy and acupuncture together in a PhD through published works on the topic ‘The Anatomy of Acupuncture’ in 2020.  She currently has Visiting Academic status at the Hull-York Medical School to support her ongoing research into the anatomy of acupuncture.

 
 
 

   

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