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31.07.2019

ATMS concerned at the proposed removal of the Chinese Medicine degree at UTS

The Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS) has expressed concern regarding the news that student intake for the Bachelor of Health Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been suspended for 2020 by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

 

The decision by UTS has been the topic of debate across a collaboration of Chinese Medicine professional associations, and ATMS share the same apprehensions expressed by industry colleagues.

 

Speaking on behalf of ATMS, CEO Charles Wurf said, “Our membership is a vibrant and growing community of nationally registered Chinese Medicine practitioners and the announcement to further consider the permanent closure of the bachelor course is very concerning.

 

“Chinese Medicine holds a formal, registered place as an Allied Health profession within Australia’s health system. As you may be aware, the Federal Government has recently enacted a substantial reform of private health insurance, which took effect from 1 April 2019, and Chinese Medicine was confirmed as a continuing, vital component of private health insurance,” said Mr Wurf.

 

ATMS met with representatives of all Australian health funds last week with a dedicated strategy to increase the focus and profile of Chinese Medicine as general treatments within health insurance.

 

As a registered Allied Health profession and with clear recognition criteria with private health insurance, the future workforce for Chinese Medicine is set to continue to grow.

 

For these reasons, ATMS urges a reconsideration of this decision and a continuation of the bachelor program in Chinese Medicine.

 

“There is viable demand for the course and a clearly articulated pathway into the profession for graduates,” finished Mr Wurf.

 

On Friday, 26 July 2019, ATMS wrote to UTS about the removal of the bachelor course and will update members once a response has been received.

 

ATMS is Australia’s largest national professional Association of natural medicine practitioners, representing 10,000 accredited members across 20+ modalities. The ATMS mission is to promote, represent and support professional practitioners of natural medicine, who are encouraged to pursue the highest ideals of professionalism in their natural medicine practice and education.