The second biennial Awards for Good Practice in Integrated Healthcare, which have been launched by the Foundation for Integrated Medicine, aim to find the best, most inspiring, most innovative and the most effective examples of good practice in integrated healthcare.

These awards recognise excellence in the combined provision of complementary and conventional approaches to health in a therapeutic setting. They are open to:

• complementary and conventional practitioners or organisations working in partnership
• conventional practitioners who incorporate complementary therapies into their practice.

A prize of £5,000 will be awarded to the best example of a healthcare service or project that offers patients both complementary and conventional medicine.

The judging panel includes: Lucy Bell, co-ordinator of the Complementary Therapy Service within Cancer Services, Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, London and winner of the 1999 Integrated Health Awards; Michael Dixon, chair of the NHS Alliance; Simon Fielding, adviser to the Department of Health on complementary and alternative medicine and chair of General Osteopathic Council; Michael Fox, chief executive of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine; and Steve Gillam, director of the primary care programme, King’s Fund.

Application packs are available from 1 March 2001. The closing date for entries is 1 July 2001 and the award will be presented in the autumn.

"Winning the award has resulted in a higher profile for our service nation-wide….within our department the service has gained greater respect and credibility amongst our medical colleagues and managers. This has led to greater support and further established our position within the department enhancing the integrated approach that we have pioneered here".

ENDS

1. For more information or to request an application pack please contact:

The Foundation for Integrated Medicine

International House

59 Compton Road

London

N1 2YT

Tel: 020 7688 1881 email: enquiries@fimed.org

Fax: 020 7688 1882 website: www.fimed.org 

 

2. The Foundation

The Foundation for Integrated Medicine was formed at the personal initiative of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, who is now its President. In October 1997, the Foundation published a discussion document Integrated Healthcare: a Way Forward For the Next Five Years? The recommendations in this document form the basis for the Foundation's work programme.

To achieve our aim of having complementary medicine available to all who need it, integrated with conventional healthcare, we have an extensive programme of work in the areas of delivery, education, information, regulation and research and development. A key objective of the Foundation is to encourage and publicise integrated healthcare initiatives and examples of best practice.

The 1999 Integrated Health Awards were won by Complementary Therapy Service within Cancer Services, Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, London. The other two finalists were baby massage classes for mothers with post natal depression at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital, London and the Glastonbury Health Centre Complementary Medicine Service, Somerset. A book, based on the entries in the 1999 Awards has been published by the Foundation for Integrated Medicine and is available from the address above. Integrated Healthcare: a guide to good practice by Hazel Russo, ISBN 0 9539453 0 8, costs £7.99 plus £1.25 postage and packing.

 

3. Sponsors

The Awards for Good Practice in Integrated Healthcare 2001 are sponsored by Bioforce (UK) Ltd., producers of herbal medicines.