Our Teaching Faculty

Karen Charlesworth

PhD, MSc, BA (Hons), BAcC

Course Lead and Module Leader

After many years working as a journalist, Karen retrained as an acupuncturist, qualifying with an MSc from NCA in 2013. She has been in continuous practice since that date, including private and multibed clinics. Karen’s MSc dissertation ‘invented’ by consensus a new auricular acupuncture protocol for the attenuation of pain and anxiety in humanitarian aid situations. Her PhD, awarded by University of York in 2024, was a randomised controlled feasibility study of acupuncture and nutritional therapy for atrial fibrillation, supported by the National Institute of Health Research Clinical Research Network.

Ric Chamberlain

PhD, MSc, BSc (hons) PGCHE, PGDip, FHEA, MBAcC

Lead Lecturer and Module Leader

Prior to studying and becoming an acupuncturist, Ric worked in medical research studying the molecular pathogenesis of viruses. He graduated from the NCA in 2003 after completing his MSc research dissertation. Ric subsequently joined the NCA teaching team, initially as a research supervisor and then serving on the Chinese Medicine teaching team. Ric has been involved in acupuncture education ever since. He now sits on the British Acupuncture Accreditation Board and acts as an external examiner for two other acupuncture colleges.

Vivien Shaw

PhD, FHEA, Dip Ac, MBAcC

Lead Lecturer and Module Leader

Vivien graduated from the London School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1992, and has been a member of the BAcC since it’s inception. She is also an anatomist, and was awarded her PhD in Biological Sciences by Bangor University in 2020. Her research topic was ‘The Anatomy of Acupuncture’; exploring the idea that acupuncture meridians and points are based on the physical, visible human body, and were arrived at as a result of anatomical examination. She has taught anatomy at undergraduate and postgraduate level for many years to students on a wide range of degrees including Sport Science, Medical Science, Physician Associate and Medicine.

Helen Singleton

BSc MSc MCSP HCPC

Clinic Director and Module Leader

Helen qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 2000 and worked in a variety of settings in the NHS, the military and privately. Helen then studied for a Masters degree in Acupuncture at the Northern College of Acupuncture, completing these studies in 2016. She now combines physiotherapy, acupuncture and Pilates into her own practice in Beverley and also runs lowcost community acupuncture clinics in Beverley and York. Helen has been a teaching member of the College since 2017 and currently teaches on the Biomedicine and Clinical Skills modules as well as having overall responsibility for the Acupuncture Teaching Clinic.

Michael Ranft

BA(hons) PGCE PGDipAcu MBAcC

Module Leader

Michael worked in secondary education for over a decade as an English teacher before studying acupuncture at the NCA, graduating in 2017. He runs his own clinics in Northumberland and Newcastle, specialising in distal methods of acupuncture from the lineages of Dr Tan and Master Tung. Having practised various traditional Chinese martial arts for almost 20 years, Michael also teaches Tai Chi and Qigong, as well as the Filipino style of Eskrima.

Siobhan Palmer

BSc (Hons) PGCE PGDipAcu MBAcC

Module Leader

Siobhan worked as a teacher for many years before training to be an acupuncturist at the NCA. After graduating in 2012, she set up a practice in Driffield, East Yorkshire where she continues to treat a wide range of issues. She has continued her interest in Chinese Medicine through further training in the Japanese method, Dr Tan and fertility; Chinese Herbal Medicine and Qi Gong. She has a particular interest in Chinese Dietary Therapy and the treatment of digestive disorders.