Recent surveys have shown that at least 1 in 3 people will use complementary or alternative therapies at some time during their life. Every year more than 1 in 10 will visit a complementary therapist for one of six named therapies: acupuncture, osteopathy, chiropractic, herbal medicine, hypnotherapy or homeopathy. GP practices and primary care increasingly provide their patients with access to therapies such as these.

A new information pack on complementary medicine is launched during a special exhibition at the House of Commons sponsored by the All-Party Group for Complementary Medicine. It has been produced by the Department of Health in collaboration with the NHS Alliance, the National Association of Primary Care and the Foundation of Integrated Medicine. The initiative follows the joint NHS Alliance–Exeter University conference on complementary medicine held last September, and a Department of Health study into the issues involved in the commissioning of complementary therapies by PCGs

A booklet designed for clinicians will shortly be provided to every GP practice. A more detailed pack will be sent to all Primary Care Groups and Trusts. Both are designed to inform clinicians and managers, and provide a resource for making sensible and locally sensitive decisions about commissioning the six complementary therapies that are most often provided in the NHS. The documents are also available on-line.

They provide information on six individual therapies including details of relevant qualifications and the bodies responsible for the registration of medically-qualified and non-medical practitioners. For each therapy information is given on what conditions would benefit most from treatment. A pragmatic view has been taken of examples of best evidence of effectiveness.

For example, there is reasonable evidence supporting the use of acupuncture for low back pain but it is not more useful than placebo acupuncture for smoking cessation. However, the placebo effect is substantial and leads to immediate cessation in about 35% of all patients.

Homeopathy is used for a wide variety of conditions. It has been shown to be particularly effective in conditions where there is an allergic component, such as asthma and hay fever. It is also used where drug treatments are poorly tolerated or contra-indicated, in chronic disease and for those who suffer repeated episodes of acute illness.

Similar information is provided on osteopathy, chiropractic, hypnotherapy and aromatherapy, together with advice on referring patients to complementary practitioners and employing therapists in local practices.

Dr Michael Dixon, Chairman of the NHS Alliance and one of the principal collaborators in producing the pack, is giving evidence today to the Enquiry into Complementary Medicine currently being carried out by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. No longer regarded as the province of charlatans and the deluded, there is an increasing interest in complementary therapies from politicians and health service managers as well as clinicians.

Speaking at the House of Commons today, Dr Dixon said:

"Complementary therapies tend to offer a very patient-oriented system of treatment. They focus on the whole person. Medical treatments, however, tend to be disease-oriented and so relatively impersonal. The patient may feel he or she is on a conveyor belt, or even taking part in a cattle market.

"I sometimes hear colleagues talk disparagingly about the placebo effect of complementary therapies. What is that but the self-healing process of the individual patient? Primary care clinicians should be open-minded about the benefits of complementary medicine whether based on a western scientific rationale or not. The combination of mind and body that produces self-healing must be encouraged."

Michael Fox, of the Foundation of Integrated Medicine said:

"We hope this information pack will prove to be a valuable resource for primary care clinicians and managers. A publication of this nature is long overdue and we are very pleased indeed that it has been produced in collaboration with the Department of Health, the NHS Alliance and the NAPC."

"This guide offers the opportunity for the NHS to begin to explore how therapies can become truly complementary rather than alternatives to orthodox medicine," added Dr Peter Smith, Chairman of the National Association of Primary Care. "For too long the proliferation of therapies and qualifications has confused GPs and the public, to the detriment of the credibility of many practitioners. As a practitioner myself of acupuncture and homeopathy, I welcome the clear, sensible descriptions and endorsements provided. At last we have an authoritive and informative guide to help PCGs and GPs understand and advise on the place of complementary therapies."

Primary Care clinicians and managers will have the opportunity to find out more at the NHS Alliance conference on Complementary Medicine and PCG/Ts, to be held at the Royal Society of Medicine on 26^th September. For details, see the Alliance website: www.nhsalliance.org 

For more information, contact:
Pat Goodall, NHS Alliance Press Office 
Tel: 01246 410707
mobile: 07718 162976
pager: 07654 617978

Notes to editors:

1. The principal collaborators in producing the pack are:

• Dr Joel Bonnet, until recently Senior Registrar in Public Health at the NHSE;
• Dr Michael Dixon, Chairman of the NHS Alliance;
• Clive Parr of the National Association of Primary Care, and
• Michael Fox, Chief Executive of the Foundation of Integrated Medicine.

1. Both documents are available on-line from at: www.nhsalliance.org, www.doh.gov.uk www.fimed.org or www.primarycare.co.uk
2. The more detailed pack provided to PCGs and PCTs gives examples of existing models of provision and describes the current level of NHS provision of complementary therapies. It is expected that this will be of interest to managers as well as clinicians. Sources of further information are also summarised and listed.