PR Statement

Jasmine Uddin, Vice Chair British Acupuncture Accreditation Board

Appointment of Chair of the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Prof Raymond Playford as Chair of the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board. He will succeed the current Chair Prof Mike Saks on 1st January 2023.

Prof Playford brings a wealth of relevant knowledge in the areas of higher education, research and regulation with senior-level experience in public and corporate affairs, representing organisations in the public, commercial, regulatory and charitable sectors. In addition, he supports a holistic approach to healthcare issues, including the use of traditional/complementary medicine such as acupuncture.

Prof Playford brings a wealth of relevant knowledge in the areas of higher education, research and regulation with senior-level experience in public and corporate affairs, representing organisations in the public, commercial, regulatory and charitable sectors. In addition, he supports a holistic approach to healthcare issues, including the use of traditional/complementary medicine such as acupuncture.

He has an interest in good governance and quality control for health-related educational provision. He has extensive senior management experience in HEIs, reflected in the current positions he holds as a member of the Policy and Education Committee of the General Osteopathy Council and as Chairman of the Herbal Medicine Advisory Committee (HMAC), MHRA, which ensures the compliance of herbal products sold in the UK with EU/UK regulation on traditional herbal registration. Although acupuncture does not fall within the remit of the HMAC Committee, the HMAC benefits from a diverse membership, including TCM practitioners who are also acupuncturists. It is through interactions such as these that he is already well acquainted with some of the issues affecting the TCM and acupuncture profession.

As Chief Education and Training Specialist at Healthcare UK (UKTI, DoH, and NHS) he was successful in facilitating multi-million GBP educational/training international contracts on behalf of hospitals, FEIs and HEIs, thus demonstrating his ability to influence stakeholders across businesses and government. His management experience in HEIs includes previously being Deputy Vice Chancellor/Vice Principal at Plymouth University and at Queen Mary, University of London (with a focus on health and NHS-related matters), and Head of Gastroenterology, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College. He is also past President of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.Prof Playford is currently Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of West London, Adjunct Professor at the School of Medicine, University College, Cork, and a visiting consultant gastroenterologist at St Georges Hospital in London.

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