Jim Odell - Manifesto Issues. The Associations

The Associations

The MCA, BCA, UCA each has its own remit for being, and some of their rational is given below:

The MCA is the professional body for all McTimoney-trained chiropractors, and was formed to protect and support them. Another key role of the MCA is to uphold and promote the essential principles of chiropractic as developed by the late John McTimoney.

UCA aim to ensure the public has access to principle centered chiropractic care by:Continuing education of the public. Continuing education of the chiropractic profession. The funding of research into principle centered chiropractic. The encouragement of chiropractic as a career

The BCA aim to promote, encourage and maintain high standards of conduct, practice, education and training within the profession in the UK. The BCA also supports and encourages the development of chiropractic research projects, supporting the progression of the profession in the UK and world-wide.
Yes there are similarities in the words, but all fall short of what is needed to develop chiropractic in the UK. Where is the intent to work with each other, to jointly develop for the benefit of the whole profession? This is not in conflict with representing the wishes of your members.

In my experience, the majority of members in all of the Associations just want to earn a decent living and expect something useful back for their membership fees.

However, it is often the attitudes and motives of some of the higher ranking members of the Associations that gain prominence, and are then taken as the views of their members and our profession.

Just imagine how the profession might be different if there was one voice for chiropractic - if we positively promoted chiropractic and its differences rather than using negative campaigning tactics amongst ourselves?

Idealistic? Perhaps? We can but hope. With the right people in place we might just make a difference and I would like to be one of those people.