Celebrating 50 Years of ICOM in East Grinstead 

In 2026, the International College of Oriental Medicine (ICOM) marks a significant milestone: 50 years at its current site in East Grinstead. This anniversary is not only a celebration of our history, but also a reflection of a mission that has guided us from the very beginning, and that is to be a centre of academic excellence, research and compassionate healthcare whilst making high‑quality acupuncture accessible to everyone in the local community. 

Since its founding in 1972, in Gerrard’s Cross, ICOM has played a central role in acupuncture education in the UK. Over more than five decades, the college has trained generations of practitioners who combine rigorous clinical skills with compassion, professionalism, and a deep understanding of Chinese Medicine in a modern healthcare context. 

Fifty Years of Acupuncture Education Excellence 

ICOM graduates now practise across the UK and internationally, contributing to the wider recognition and integration of acupuncture within healthcare. Yet despite this global reach, ICOM has always remained firmly rooted in East Grinstead. This town is not simply where we teach, it is where our values are lived out every day through direct community care. 

Clinics at the Heart of Our Community Commitment 

From its earliest days, ICOM has believed that education and community service should go hand in hand. Since 1972 our teaching clinics provide essential, supervised clinical experience for students while offering very low-cost, high‑quality acupuncture to members of the community the public. These clinics are always supervised by a highly experienced practitioner. 

Learning Through Service 

For students, these clinics are central to their professional development. Each student must gain 400 hours of clinic experience before they can graduate. Treating real patients from diverse backgrounds, under close supervision, builds not only clinical competence but also confidence, empathy, and a strong sense of professional responsibility.  

This model, where education, supervision, and community service are inseparable, has defined the ICOM approach for 50 years. 

Veterans’ and Youth Clinics 

More recently, the fortnightly low-cost Veterans Clinic stands as an expression of respect and acknowledgement for those who have served. Recognising the unique and often complex health needs faced by veterans, the clinic offers specialised acupuncture care in a setting shaped by understanding, dignity, and clinical integrity. Read more about the Veterans Clinic https://acupunctureeastgrinstead.org/services/veterans-multibed-acupuncture-clinic/ 

Alongside this, next month we are launching our new Youth Multibed Acupuncture Clinic, Open to 16-25‑year‑olds, the clinic will offer acupuncture in a calm and supportive environment and can be free for those who need it, helping to remove financial barriers at a crucial stage of life. The clinic will specifically support young people who are struggling with their mental health and reflects ICOM’s belief that access to care should not depend on income.  

Making High‑Quality Acupuncture Accessible 

While ICOM is widely recognised for training first‑class acupuncturists, education has never been its only focus. Accessibility has always been at the heart of the college’s purpose. 

By offering low‑cost and free clinic options through its teaching clinics, ICOM helps ensure that acupuncture is available to the wider community, not just to those who could otherwise afford private treatment. Patients receive attentive, high‑quality care, while students gain invaluable real‑world experience — a balance that has benefited both education and community health for half a century. 

Looking Forward 

As ICOM celebrates its 50th year in the town, it honours the founders and all the tutors, students, clinic supervisors, patients, and the East Grinstead community who have shaped its journey. Together, we have sustained a college built on integrity, compassion, and clinical excellence. 

Fifty years on, ICOM’s roots in East Grinstead remain strong and its commitment to the community is as vital today as it was in 1976 when we opened the door to Van Buren House for the first time.