What is Chinese medicine and what can I expect?
Click here for some helpful information that answers these questions.
You can also download a copy of this information in Mandarin, here.
If you have more questions, please contact us.
Search the Register
You can search the Register of Chinese Medicine Practitioners to find out whether a particular practitioner is currently registered and is able to practise in New Zealand, as well as other public information.
Please contact the office if you have a query related to the Register or a particular practitioner on +64 4
978 5040.
You will find the following information about practitioners on the public register as required by the HPCA Act (s149):
- Name
- Work address
- Registration number
- Qualification
- Registration Status
- Practising certificate status
- Expiry Date of Practising Certificate
- Conditions on practice (if any)
- Recertification status.
The Council requires all registrants to renew their practising status annually by the 31st of March, regardless of whether they intend to practise.
Understanding the Register
"Registered, current certificate": A practitioner holding this status has been issued with a current practising certificate entitling them to practise, has been deemed fit and competent to practise by the Council, and is participating in the Council’s compulsory practitioner recertification programme.
"Registered, non-practising": A practitioner holding this status has notified the Council that they do not intend to practise during the current practising year, and they are not actively participating in the Council’s compulsory practitioner recertification programme. They may, however, still be participating in the recording of continuing professional development activities to maintain their competence to practise for future practising periods.
Scopes of practice
The Council has five scopes of practice:
- Chinese medicine practitioner (acupuncturist)
- Chinese herbal medicine practitioner
- Chinese massage (tuina) practitioner
- Chinese medicine specialist
- Chinese medicine special purpose
You can download a description of each of these scopes of practice by clicking here.
Specialist scopes of practice
Specialist registration is an additional registration held in conjunction with another CM scope. It recognises CM practitioners with Council approved post-graduate qualifications, or clinical expertise, in a specific practice area recognised as a specialty area by the Council. The practitioner will demonstrate competence in a relevant area of academic achievement and/or clinical practice above the level of an undergraduate qualification and is recognised as a specialist in their designated field of expertise. The Council currently recognises several specialist areas of Chinese medicine practice.
The list of these approved specialist areas includes:
- Internal medicine;
- Men’s health;
- Mental health and addiction;
- Mental health;
- Musculoskeletal;
- Nephrology;
- Ophthalmology;
- Paediatrics;
- Reproductive health / fertility;
- Research;
- Sports medicine;
- Taichi Qigong;
- Women’s health (obstetrics); and
- Women’s health.
The Council uses its discretion on a case-by-case basis if an applicant wants to apply to be a Chinese medicine specialist in a defined field of practice that is not already on the Council’s approved list.
A practitioner registered in the specialist scope of practice will have their recognised specialty area(s) recorded in their scope of practice (e.g., “Chinese Medicine Practitioner – Specialist (women’s health)”).
The Council does its best to maintain the accuracy of the Register. If you believe any information contained in the Register to be incorrect, please contact the office on +64 4 978 5040.