The British Chiropractic Association has written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, calling for formal recognition of chiropractors as Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in England.
In a letter sent on 6 February, BCA CEO Cait Allen set out the case for AHP recognition as a practical policy step that could expand musculoskeletal (MSK) capacity, reduce pressure on NHS services, and improve productivity.
Chiropractors are statutorily regulated by the General Chiropractic Council, established by Parliament under the Chiropractors Act 1994. The profession is also supported by the Royal College of Chiropractors, which promotes high standards in clinical practice, research and postgraduate education.
However, despite this regulatory and educational framework, chiropractic is not currently recognised as an AHP in England, unlike physiotherapy and osteopathy, which share a comparable MSK scope and statutory regulation.
The BCA’s letter highlights our new independent health economic analysis by the York Health Economics Consortium, a subsidiary of the University of York. The report indicates that recognising chiropractors as AHPs and enabling fuller NHS integration could:
- Significantly expand MSK capacity in community settings
- Free up more than 100,000 NHS appointments each year
- Deliver estimated productivity gains of around £400 million annually, with potential cumulative benefits of up to £1.5 billion over the course of this Parliament through faster return-to-work outcomes
AHP recognition is not simply a matter of professional classification, but can be a mechanism to support the government’s stated priorities on reducing waiting times, shifting care into the community, and improving workforce productivity.
The letter also seeks clarity on the current policy position and the criteria being applied to AHP recognition decisions, and requests a meeting with ministers or senior officials to discuss how chiropractic could be better integrated into NHS pathways.
The BCA has also reaffirmed our willingness to work constructively with the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure patients can benefit from timely access to regulated, community-based MSK care.