Clinical services · Free
Free community consultations
免费社区咨询
The offer
What a free consultation is
A pattern assessment is a description of how your presentation looks in the terms the tradition uses — for example heat or cold, excess or deficiency, and which organs and channels are implicated. It is a coherent way of reasoning about a person, and it is genuinely useful for understanding why a practitioner might recommend one approach rather than another. It is not the same thing as a medical diagnosis, and we do not present it as one.
Every appointment is supervised. A qualified practitioner is responsible for what happens in the room, reviews the assessment before advice is given, and will say so plainly if what you describe needs medical attention instead. Students never practise on the public unsupervised at any stage of their training.
If you decide to take things further afterwards, there is no obligation to do so. Nothing is sold at the appointment, and no one will contact you to persuade you. You can read more about how the clinic fits into our teaching on the programmes pages and about the team who supervise on our practitioners and tutors page.
What the appointment includes
- A full case history, taken by a student practitioner and reviewed by the supervisor
- Tongue observation and pulse observation
- A traditional pattern assessment in the terms of Chinese medicine
- An explanation of that assessment in plain English, with time for your questions
- General advice on diet, daily habits and lifestyle within the tradition
- A short written summary of the assessment and advice
- Signposting, if you want it: the supervised teaching clinic, or your GP
What it is not
- Not a full course of treatment. One appointment is an assessment, not a treatment plan carried out.
- Not a medical diagnosis, and not a second opinion on a diagnosis you have already been given.
- Not a substitute for seeing a doctor, and not a reason to delay or stop conventional treatment.
- Not an emergency service. We cannot see anyone urgently, and our inbox is not monitored out of hours.
- Not a herbal prescribing appointment — a prescription, if appropriate, is issued only through the teaching clinic after a full appointment.
- Not a sales appointment, and not conditional on you booking anything else.
Your appointment
How the thirty minutes runs
Before
Booking and confirmation
You send an enquiry through the form on this page, telling us which location suits you and roughly when you are free. We reply with the next available appointments, and confirm the details in writing. If you need to rearrange, tell us as early as you can — see the questions below.Arrival
Registration, consent and chaperones
We ask you to arrive a few minutes early to complete a registration form and a consent form. The consent form explains that a student will take your case, that a qualified supervisor is responsible for the appointment, and that you may stop or decline any part of it. You are welcome to bring a companion, and a chaperone can be arranged on request — ask when you book.First ten minutes
Your history, in your words
The student asks about your main concern, how long it has been present, what makes it better or worse, your sleep, digestion, energy and mood, your medical history, and every medication or supplement you take. Please bring a list. This part is a conversation, not an interrogation, and the supervisor may add questions.Next ten minutes
Tongue and pulse observation
In Chinese medicine the tongue and the pulse are read as part of the assessment. The student will look at your tongue in natural light, and feel the pulse at both wrists. Both are brief and painless. If you would rather not have either observed, say so — it is your appointment, and the assessment can proceed without them.Assessment
The pattern, and what it means
The student sets out a traditional pattern assessment. The supervisor reviews it and discusses it with you directly. You should expect the reasoning to be explained rather than asserted: what was observed, what it is taken to indicate in the tradition, and where the picture is unclear. Honest uncertainty is part of a good assessment.Closing
General advice, and what happens next
You will leave with general advice on diet, daily habits and lifestyle within the tradition, and a short written summary. If the supervisor considers that something needs medical assessment, you will be told clearly and advised to see your GP — see safety and consent. If you want to continue, we will explain the options, including the supervised teaching clinic.
Suitability
Who these consultations are for
Adults who want a longstanding complaint explained
Pain, sleep, digestion, energy, menstrual symptoms, stress — the kind of presentation that persists without a clear single cause. This is where a pattern-based assessment is most useful as a way of thinking.
People who want Chinese medicine explained properly
If you have read about acupuncture or herbal medicine and want to know what a practitioner actually does and why, an appointment is a better introduction than an article.
People already receiving conventional care
You are welcome, on one condition: keep your medical treatment and keep your appointments. We will discuss what Chinese medicine would and would not add, and we will not advise you to change anything a doctor has prescribed.
Prospective students
If you are considering training with us, a consultation shows you the clinic from the inside. Our open days also include clinic visits — see admissions and open days.
Carers and family members
We are happy to talk to you about services, but we cannot assess someone who is not in the room. Please ask the person concerned to book for themselves, or come with them.
Eligibility and exclusions
We would rather set this out before you book than turn you away at the door. Please read it, and tell us if any of it applies to you.
- Age. These appointments are for adults aged 18 and over. [CONFIRM: whether appointments for under-18s are offered, with what consent and chaperone arrangements]
- Pregnancy. [CONFIRM: which stages of pregnancy we can and cannot see, and which presentations are excluded] Some presentations are not suitable for a student clinic during pregnancy, and we will say so.
- Recent surgery, recent hospital admission or an acute infection. [CONFIRM: the exclusion period, for example within [XX] weeks of surgery or discharge] Please speak to your GP first, and book once you have recovered.
- Medication and bleeding disorders. [CONFIRM: guidance for people taking anticoagulants, with a bleeding disorder, or with a suppressed immune system] Tell us when you book so that we can plan the appointment properly.
- Anything we cannot assess safely. If the supervisor judges that a consultation is not appropriate for you, we will tell you why and, where we can, suggest where to go instead.
If this is urgent, do not wait for us
We cannot provide urgent or emergency care, and our inbox is not monitored outside office hours. If you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden weakness or numbness, heavy bleeding, a severe headache that came on suddenly, or any other emergency, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. For urgent non-emergency advice, use NHS 111.
Cost
Free, and why the college offers it
The college runs this programme for two reasons, and both are straightforward. The first is community service: Chinese medicine is poorly understood in the UK, and a properly explained assessment should not be something you have to pay for in order to find out whether it is relevant to you.
The second is training. Students on our clinical programmes must complete a set number of supervised clinical hours before they can qualify, and those hours have to involve real people with real concerns. A free community clinic is how that requirement is met properly — supervised, recorded, and carried out to a clinical standard rather than as a classroom exercise.
The costs of running the clinics — rooms, supervision, equipment, insurance and dispensing — are met by the college. [CONFIRM: how the programme is funded, for example from college funds, membership income and any grant funding] [CONFIRM: whether the college accepts donations towards the community clinic, and how]
If you want treatment afterwards rather than assessment alone, the supervised teaching clinic offers it at enquire for fees — treatment appointments are longer than private practice, because teaching happens in the room. We do not publish figures here because the fee schedule is still to be confirmed. Nothing about that conversation is a condition of your free appointment.
Where and when
Consultation locations
London
SCMAT UK — Main Campus
Free community consultations run on [DAY] afternoons, by appointment, and are carried out by supervised students.
[BUILDING NAME][STREET ADDRESS]London[POSTCODE]- Taught programmes
- Supervised teaching clinic
- Herb dispensary
- Free community consultations
- Public lectures
Birmingham
SCMAT UK — Birmingham
Free community consultations on the first Saturday of each month, 10:00–16:00, by appointment.
[BUILDING NAME][STREET ADDRESS]Birmingham[POSTCODE]- Part-time taught programmes
- Community consultation clinic
- Evening public classes
Manchester
SCMAT UK — Manchester
Free community consultations on advertised weekends. Please check the events page for the current schedule.
[BUILDING NAME][STREET ADDRESS]Manchester[POSTCODE]- Short courses and CPD
- Community consultation clinic
- Workplace wellbeing programmes
Highlighted text marks information the college has not yet confirmed — addresses, consultation days and travel details are placeholders.
No clinical consultations online
We do not offer clinical consultations online. Diagnosis and treatment in Chinese medicine require in-person assessment. Assessment in Chinese medicine depends on the tongue, the pulse and the person in front of the practitioner, and those cannot be read through a screen. Our online provision is teaching, lectures and student mentoring only.
Booking
How to book a free consultation
Step 1
Send the booking enquiry
Use the form on this page. Tell us your preferred location, the days or times that generally suit you, and whether this is your first appointment with us. The subject line is already set for you.Step 2
Tell us anything we need to plan for
Medication, pregnancy, recent surgery, a bleeding disorder, mobility needs, or a request for a chaperone. This is not screening for its own sake — it decides whether the appointment is appropriate and how long to allow.Step 3
We reply with dates
A member of the college office replies within [XX] working days with the available appointments. If there is a waiting list at your chosen location, we will tell you how long it is and offer an alternative site if one has space sooner.Step 4
Confirmation, and what to bring
We confirm the appointment in writing with the address, arrival time and what to bring — a list of your medication, and any recent test results or letters you think are relevant. Then you simply turn up.
How this form works
Booking is not yet automated. The form below validates your details and then opens your own email application with the message already written, so that you can send it from your own address. Nothing is transmitted to the college until you send that email. [CONFIRM: online booking system, and the date it goes live]
What we cannot do by email
We cannot give clinical advice by email, assess symptoms from a description, or book urgent appointments. If your question needs a clinician, we will offer you an appointment instead of an answer. For anything urgent, contact your GP, NHS 111 or, in an emergency, 999.
Prefer to write to us directly? Email enquiries@scmat.org.uk with the same details. Please do not include sensitive medical information beyond what we need in order to book you in.
Safety
Consent, supervision and standards
Consent, in writing
You sign a consent form before the appointment begins, which explains who will be in the room and what will happen. You may stop the appointment at any point, decline any part of it — including tongue or pulse observation — and leave. Consent is a continuing conversation, not a formality.
Supervision at all times
A qualified practitioner is responsible for every appointment. The supervisor reviews the assessment before advice is given, may take over the consultation, and is answerable for what is said and done. Students do not see patients unsupervised at any stage.
Chaperones and companions
You are welcome to bring a companion. If you would prefer an independent chaperone, ask when you book and we will arrange one. Students are never alone with a patient.
[CONFIRM: chaperone policy wording and whether consultations may ever take place with the supervisor absent]
If the supervisor spots something that needs medical attention
You will be told plainly, in the appointment, that the finding needs medical assessment. We advise you to see your GP, or to seek urgent care if that is what the presentation warrants. We put it in writing for you, and we do not speculate about a diagnosis — that is a doctor's job, not ours.
Infection prevention
Hand hygiene before and after contact, couches and equipment cleaned between patients, single-use sterile needles where needles are used, and safe sharps disposal. Infection prevention is taught and assessed as part of every clinical programme.
[CONFIRM: college infection prevention and control policy reference and cleaning schedule]
Records, confidentiality and insurance
A clinical record is kept for every appointment and stored under UK data protection law. Your case is discussed only within the clinical team, and only as needed for supervision. The college holds professional indemnity and public liability cover for its clinics.
[CONFIRM: insurance provider, cover level, retention period and how a patient requests a copy of their record]
Educational content notice
Content on this website describes Chinese medicine as it is taught and practised historically and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own health, and never delay or stop conventional treatment because of something you have read here.
Adverse events are recorded and reviewed
If anything goes wrong — a faint, a delayed reaction, a problem with a needle, or simply a concern you raise afterwards — it is recorded and reviewed by the clinical governance lead, and it feeds into teaching. Our governance and quality assurance page explains how that review works, and our complaints procedure sets out how to raise something formally.
Questions
Booking and safety questions
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. There is no charge, no card details are taken, and no obligation to book anything afterwards. The college meets the cost of running the clinics because the programme is both a public service and a required part of our students’ supervised clinical training.
How long will I have to wait for an appointment?
It varies by location and by time of year. Demand is high and appointments are limited by the number of supervised students in clinic. We will tell you the current wait when we reply to your enquiry, and offer an alternative location if one has space sooner. [CONFIRM: indicative waiting times by location]
Will I be treated with needles or given herbs at the consultation?
No. A free consultation is an assessment with general advice. It does not include acupuncture treatment or a herbal prescription. If treatment or a prescription is appropriate, it is arranged separately through the supervised teaching clinic after a full appointment, or with a qualified practitioner. Treatment fees are available on enquiry.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes. You are welcome to bring a companion, and an independent chaperone can be arranged if you would prefer one — ask when you book so that we can prepare. Students are never alone with a patient.
What happens if I am pregnant, or have recently had surgery?
Some presentations are not suitable for a student clinic during pregnancy or shortly after surgery, and we will say so honestly rather than book you in. Tell us when you enquire. [CONFIRM: exclusion criteria for pregnancy, recent surgery and recent hospital admission]
Will the student be on their own with me?
No. A qualified practitioner is responsible for every appointment. The supervisor reviews the assessment before advice is given, and may join or take over the consultation at any point. Students never see patients unsupervised. [CONFIRM: whether the supervisor is present in the room or immediately available, and how this is explained to patients]
Is what I say confidential?
Yes. A clinical record is kept and stored under UK data protection law. Your case is discussed only within the clinical team, and only as far as supervision requires. We do not share information with anyone else without your consent, except where the law requires it. Our policies set out the detail.
Can I get advice without an appointment?
We cannot give clinical advice by email or over the telephone, because assessment in Chinese medicine depends on seeing and examining the person. If your question needs a clinician, we will offer you an appointment rather than an answer. You are welcome to ask administrative questions at any time through the contact page.
Book a free consultation
Appointments are limited by the number of supervised students in clinic, so it is worth enquiring early. Tell us your preferred location and we will offer the next available dates.