Things to do before you start your professional life: a guide for final year students
Here at the BCA, we understand that the first few weeks and months out in practise after you graduate can be a little difficult to navigate.
The BCA is here to help! We have been supporting chiropractors for 99 years and help those joining the profession in lots of ways, but the most fundamental to you right now are:
- A support network within the chiropractic community
- Indemnity insurance (all chiropractors are required to have this)
Who are the BCA and why are BCA chiropractors trusted members of the healthcare community in the UK?
The BCA is the largest and longest standing association in the UK. Our Vision is for chiropractic to be integral to UK healthcare. To achieve this, we have been working tirelessly to create a home for chiropractors who put patients first.
We support our members in all aspects of their professional lives, allowing them to devote their energies to delivering patient-centred care.
Our defined patient-centred approach is what differentiates the BCA from other chiropractic professional associations in the UK. The leadership we demonstrate did not go unrecognised as at the end of 2022, the BCA was named The Best Professional Body of the Year at the prestigious Memcom Excellence Awards, acknowledging that our repositioning project has played a pivotal role in changing the healthcare landscape for the better.
The BCA has not only founded chiropractic in the UK as we now know it, but is continuing to develop the profession and achieve magnificent results year in, year out. This makes the association a trusted source for chiropractors, who rely on us for:
- BCA Insurance Services – the most robust protection for chiropractors
- Professional tools and services
- Professional learning and development
- Business support
- Recognition within wider healthcare
- Promoting and protecting ethical ways of working
- Sense of belonging due being part of a likeminded community
- Providing an inclusive, modern voice for chiropractic – aligned to wider healthcare
- Defining and sharing best practice through evidence and ethics
Have a look at the video and the leaflet below to find out more about how we can support you.
Click here and become a student member today! It’s FREE.
- BCA chiropractors are proud to provide patient-centred, evidence-based care.
- BCA members have a shared, like-minded approach to being patient-centred professionals, always putting the best interest of the patient first.
- BCA chiropractors recognise it is the role of the healthcare professional to help empower the patient to make an informed decision about their treatment that is based on individual needs.
- BCA chiropractors engage in and promote international standards of education, exemplary conduct and a commitment to ongoing professional development.
- Chiropractic is a strongly regulated and rigorous profession; regulation helps provide consistency, such as the standard of education and training required. Chiropractors provide credible, evidence-based advice and treatment.
- Chiropractors are regulated by law and required to adhere to strict Codes of Practice, in the same way as dentists and doctors. All BCA members are registered healthcare professionals, regulated by the GCC.
What do I need to do to start practising as a chiropractor?
To become a practising chiropractor you need to be registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and to have an indemnity insurance cover. We know that it can be difficult to juggle the requirements when you first graduate and therefore we have put together this quick guide for you to help you go through the process of becoming a registered chiropractor, ready to practise.
However, the resources that we provide to help you in your professional life do not end here. We offer a FREE student membership and by becoming a BCA Student Member you can get access to a variety of bespoke resources designed to address important aspects of your student and professional life. You don’t have to wait until you graduate to join us.
And there is more!
Your practising membership of the BCA is FREE during the year you graduate; all you need to pay is a pro-rata insurance premium, depending on which month you start work. The BCA also subsidises the member fee element over the next three years for you too, to give you a helping hand.
Scroll down to find out more and join today!
Join the BCA and get the support you need, plus exclusive member access to BCA Insurance Services and a variety of resources. These include:
Advertising – our classified ads provide an abundance of job opportunities from across the country. Our advertising does not end there, we carry ads for clinic premises to buy or rent, second-hand equipment and upcoming CPD courses. Our main advertising in In Touch newsletter and Contact magazine showcases a wide array of product and service providers.
Contracts Templates and Guidance – The BCA provides pro-forma template contracts and staff handbook for the use by all its members. The documents are incomplete and provide differing options, depending upon the circumstances and approach adopted by individual practices.
Contracts Advice – The BCA has an HR advisor for employees and the self-employed. The advisor is able to give advice on aspects of contracts and HR legislation.
Practice and Practising Resources – There are many resources that the BCA makes available to its members as part of their membership. Below are just a few of the resources that we think will be particularly relevant:
Practice Management Resources
Some of the information/guidance you will need in everyday practise.
Compliance
As healthcare professionals, there are many areas of compliance that you must adhere to and the BCA has information, tools and advice to help you navigate your way through.
Chiropractic Awareness Week
Annual awareness week led by the BCA.
Brand Hub
Celebrate your membership of the BCA by displaying our ‘BCA Member’ logo on your website and social media channels. This is one part of communicating the BCA’s Vision, Mission and Aims.
Brand Partnerships
Strategic relationships that have direct benefits to our members and their patients, our latest partnership is with KAYMED.
GDPR Templates
Templates to support GDPR compliance as well as guidance notes to help you clarify your responsibilities under GDPR.
BCA Patient Charter
Created by the BCA to provide patients with reassurance, the BCA Patient Charter clearly shows why BCA chiropractors are different from any other Chiropractors. It acts as a transparent agreement between patients and BCA chiropractors, ensuring that patient-centred, evidence-informed care is provided at all times. BCA members have an exclusive access to a high resolution version of the Patient Charter which they can display in their clinics, as well as add our ‘I have signed the BCA Patient Charter’ logo to their clinic’s website.
iRefer Imaging Guidance
iRefer is an essential online reference tool, published by The Royal College of Radiologists, providing up-to-date guidance on selecting the most appropriate imaging investigation for a range of clinical problems. Access to discounted imaging standards courses.
Practice Start Up Pack
Document designed to help those looking to set up their own clinic business.
BCA Plus/BCA Privilege
BCA Plus provides exclusive member offers and discounts on a range of clinic management and finance & business products and services, equipment and CPD. BCA Privilege is a portfolio containing big brand discounts, designed to support you both personally and professionally.
BCA Knowledge Hub
This ever-growing hub hosts all BCA thought leadership articles, health features, member stories, and more! Topics include clinical advice for patients, study tips and information for students, and healthcare- and industry-specific insights for chiropractors and stakeholders.
Ongoing CPD Programme and Session Archive
Regular CPD/informational sessions programme, covering a broad range of interest areas. Annual conference. Large video archive of previous session material.
NB: The GCC has specific CPD requirements of those new to their register
BCA Community
Whether through our weekly newsletter, In Touch (sent to members every Friday), our annual magazine, Contact, our regular BCA Sessions programme, Conference (more information coming soon and will be added to this page), social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram) and website, the BCA has a strong community to belong to and be proud of.
BCA Professional Network
You will also have access to the new BCA Professional Network, our private LinkedIn group, which provides opportunities to discuss the latest health news, hold topic-led discussions on new trends, share experience and advice, as well as network with other chiropractic professionals.
And more!
- Exam preparation tips.
- Top tips on how to be busy and brilliant in clinic, boost retention and improve your patient management, in your first year and beyond.
- Financial advice and resources on income protection, investments and savings, mortgages, workplace pensions, retirement planning and more from our insurance services partner, Lloyd & Whyte.
- Information on Continuing Professional Development (CPD), the Post-registration Training (PRT) programme from the Royal College of Chiropractors (RCC) and how to make the most out of these opportunities.
- New Chiropractor Frequently Asked Questions
To become a BCA Student Member, click here.
To find more about joining the BCA as a practising member in 2024, click here.
Please note that you need to be a registered student or practising member to access this page.
The membership period runs from 1 January to 31 December each year. For practising BCA membership categories there are several tiers of cost, depending on your year of graduation.
BCA Fee Table 2024
| Year of Graduation | Member Fee Total (includes Chiropractic Research Levy) £ | Insurance (incl Insurance Premium Tax @ 12%) £ | Membership and Insurance Total £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 160 | 837.78 | 997.78 |
| 2022 | 420 | 936.28 | 1356.28 |
| 2021 | 520 | 936.28 | 1456.28 |
| 2020 (and earlier) | 650 | 936.28 | 1586.28 |
| Returning from parental leave * | 420 | 936.28 | 1356.28 |
| Practising academic faculty rate ** | 420 | 936.28 | 1356.28 |
| Non-practising academic faculty rate *** | 210 | 936.28 | 1146.28 |
| Student membership | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Members who are returning from maternity, paternity, shared parenting or adoption leave. N.B. Please advise the BCA both in advance of leave and ahead of a return to work.
** Those working at a GCC-accredited chiropractic teaching institution, who are in private practice outside of faculty work. Must be working in a faculty role of around 15 hours or more per week / or at the discretion of the BCA Board/Director of Membership & Operations. Can be taken as ‘Member only’ or ‘Member with insurance’. Subject to application.
*** Those working at a GCC-accredited chiropractic teaching institution in the UK, who are not in private practice. This could be taken as ‘Member only’ or ‘Member with insurance’ (if the faculty role requires individual insurance). Subject to application.
Where there are extenuating financial circumstances, illness, or family issues, a concessionary consideration may be made on member fees. Amount and period at the discretion of the Board / Director of Membership & Operations. Subject to application. All reduced and concessionary rates are subject to annual review.
If you choose to pay by direct debit, payments are taken over 10 monthly instalments, starting in January, which helps you to spread the costs. There is no additional charge for this facility. Alternatively, you can pay by BACS in a single payment.
Fees table for those graduating in 2024
2024 Graduate Fees Table
| Month You Wish to Start Work | Member Fee Total £ | Insurance (incl Insurance Premium Tax @ 12%) £ | Membership and Insurance Total £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| June | 0 | 488.71 | 488.71 |
| July | 0 | 418.90 | 418.90 |
| August | 0 | 349.08 | 349.08 |
| September | 0 | 279.26 | 279.26 |
| October | 0 | 209.45 | 209.45 |
| November | 0 | 139.63 | 139.63 |
| December | 0 | 69.82 | 69.82 |
You can find more information about how to join us in 2024 here.
Chief Executive Officer, Cait Allen
Cait has an extensive career history working with organisations across healthcare and the third sector, including NHS England and NHS Trusts. After a fast-growing career in PR and marketing, Cait moved into wider leadership roles in reputation management and influencing, before taking her first CEO role at the age of 35. Experienced in influencing policy, she has worked with different Government departments across Whitehall to develop policy and deliver change. Specialising in leading organisations in making a positive impact, Cait joins the BCA at a pivotal time following its major repositioning project, which had two core objectives: to support the serious strain on musculoskeletal (MSK) issues facing the UK, whilst equipping members with the tools to increase recognition within the mainstream healthcare community.
Director of Communications & Marketing, Lisa King
Lisa has extensive experience in branding, communications and marketing across various organisations. She started her career in membership associations as President at Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union, and then developed her marketing and communications skills further in front-line roles in several universities and the NHS. She joined the BCA following the successful completion of a substantial branding project, also in a university setting. Lisa’s unique blend of expertise within marketing and corporate communications has transformed the organisations she has worked within, gaining share of voice and reach in PR and Public Affairs.
Director of Membership & Operations, Anne Barlow
Anne’s very broad experience encompasses a number of unrelated sectors, which adds greatly to her flexibility and depth of knowledge. She started her career as a Registered Nurse, studied for and transferred into the complex field of human factors technical engineering and applied this experience with Xerox in a marketing capacity. She has worked at the BCA since 2003, initially within marcomms and latterly, leading the operations team. Anne’s trademark attention to detail and extensive technical and creative knowledge is unparalleled which has seen her transform systems and processes to benefit BCA members, positioning the organisation as the premium choice for British chiropractors.
Director of Development, Sofie Bennett
Sofie started her career in hospitality and events, before moving to the charity sector where she held a range of leadership roles for healthcare, maritime and science causes. She has over 15 years’ experience delivering global partnerships and events across Europe and Asia.
Sofie joins the BCA at an exciting time as we approach our 100-year anniversary and is looking forward to working with partners and members to grow the BCA’s community.
In her spare time, Sofie enjoys being by the ocean and can usually be found chasing her toddler!
Membership & Operations Officer, Lindsay Robinson
Lindsay joins the BCA as Membership & Operations Officer and will be working alongside BCA Director of Membership & Operations, Anne Barlow. Lindsay has extensive experience working in Higher Education, firstly as a librarian and latterly supporting academic research projects. She is excited to draw on her expertise in enquiry work and administration to deliver high quality support to the Association and its members.
Content & Communications Officer, Katrin Mahfuz
Katrin joins the BCA as Content & Communications Officer and will be working alongside BCA Director of Communications & Marketing, Lisa King, looking after how we interact with our members, key stakeholders and the general public. Katrin studied Communication and Media at Bournemouth University and, since graduating in 2019, she has been gaining valuable experience in marketing, events, communications and customer service across various organisations, including universities and start-ups.
Online Community Officer, Hannah Gall
Hannah joins the BCA as Online Community Officer and will bring her skillset in community engagement to the team. Hannah has vast experience in digital marketing roles in various industries with her primary specialisms including content creation, community engagement, and social media advertising. She is excited to contribute her knowledge to the digital transformation at the BCA and looks forward to connecting with members in the next few months.
