Useful information

FREE membership for new graduates* (* based on UCA website on 1st September 2016) with the second largest association in the UK, the United Chiropractic Association (UCA). This is a potential savings of up to £395! Unfortunately you may still have to pay £770 for insurance (Insurance provider is Balens), but we feel its still a very good deal! There are number of benefits being a UCA member.

The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) whilst the largest association you MUST buy their insurance if you choose to be a member with them. You cannot be a member otherwise. You can be a member with the UCA and get insurance elsewhere (in case you wanted to be a member of more than one association!)

ALSO whilst the UCA allows you to be a member without paying a further annual fee to be a member of the College of Chiropractors, which currently ranges from £249.96 to £350 a year (based on 2016 prices)

We suggest you plan the TOC exam 6 months in advance. This gives you time to prepare other challenges ahead and study for the exam. The fees for this exam are currently set at £1,500 (As of Sep 1st 2016) though will be increasing to £2,000 if taking the TOC in 2017.

Cancellation of TOC will result in penalties!“If you withdraw your application for the TOC after your place has been confirmed we will refund 50% of your fee (£1000) if you withdraw up to 1 day before the closing date.If you decide to withdraw your application on or after the closing date, your fee will be non-refundable unless there is an exceptional mitigating circumstance” (GCC, September 19/9/16).

The Test of Competency (TOC) has limited places available on the (about 25 as we understand it?). The pass rate was 75%* (*based on GCC Jan 2016 Newsletter). It has been further suggested* that most of those that failed were down to a poor understanding of how chiropractic is practiced in the UK compared to overseas, if further went on to suggest in how be a good idea that any chiropractor sponsoring a candidate should go through this information with the candidate.

“The Code” replaced the old Code of Practice and Standards of Proficiency (COP SOP) as of June 30th 2016. Any graduate sitting the TOC exam should know this document inside and out.

The following link will provided valuable information for anyone sitting the TOC, including a structured guide for candidates (produced by the GCC). Further specific information can be obtain by contacting toc@gcc-uk.org

You will be required as a Chiropractor to undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) on an annual basis in the UK to remain actively registered as either practicing (or non-practicing). The GCC Guidance for CPD year 2016/17 gives you guidance on complete forms (which can be done either online with your personal login, on on paper and posted in).” The CPD year begins on 1 September each year and ends on the 31 August the following year, for example, 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016. During that CPD year each chiropractor must complete at least 30 hours of learning, although we recognise that most chiropractors complete a lot more than this.Half of the 30 hours (15 hours) must include ‘learning with others’. This means that there must have been some direct and immediate interaction between the chiropractor and other people as part of the learning activity. The rest of the learning may either be more learning with others, or learning on their own, such as reading books or research ” (Source: GCC Website. 9th September 2016)

You will need a VISA to work in the UK (in addition to a practicing certificate). The most common visas utilised are Tier 1 and Tier 2. More detail in the deferences are seen on want to work in the UK?.

New regulations (past in April 2015) now require you to pay an NHS (National Health Service) suppliment for the term of your visa up front, £200 per year. E.g. If you have a 3 years visa you will be required to pay £600 up front. If you have dependent you will have to do the same for each, this is in addition to any fees for the visa itself.