—

In the West, acupuncture is still most commonly practiced privately, with one patient seeing one practitioner for around 45 minutes to an hour per treatment, and usually being required to pay up to £200 per treatment, depending on the reputation and location of the clinic. In a community acupuncture clinic, also known as a 'multi-bed' clinic, several people are treated together in one large room. Multi-bed clinics are widely used in the Far East, however they are relatively new in the West, appearing over the last 10-20 years. 

Acupuncture needles usually take 20-45 minutes to take effect, so acupuncturists are able to place the needles in one patient and leave them to relax, whilst moving on to treat another patient. This enables the practitioner to significantly reduce the price of an acupuncture treatment . 

“Research has shown that patients being treated in multi-bed clinics report many positive experiences.” (Stone, 2006)

1.

Research shows that patients being treated in multi-bed clinics report many positive experiences. People report a sense of togetherness and community.

2.

An energy field (Qi) is created when several people are treated together and this can enhance the power of one’s healing experience, 

3.

The group setting, community-based locations, and low cost of this model potentially reduce access barriers for those who might not otherwise consider using acupuncture. 

4.

Patients are able to access treatments frequently enough and for long enough to get better and stay better. Acupuncture is cumulative - the more regular the treatments, the better the outcome