Research into the benefits of alternative therapies

Department of Health report shows significant patient benefits from Complementary & Alternative treatments - March 09

A Department of Health report, released earlier this week, revealed the results of a year long scheme that showed the significant and positive effect of a range of CAM treatments on patients as part of an integrated health strategy to help them deal with chronic pain and other related conditions.

Following the pilot, 80% of patients reported an improvement in their symptoms, 64% took less time off work and 55% reduced their use of painkillers.

This pilot scheme was implemented by social enterprise Get Well UK, which aims to improve access to complementary therapies on the public health service. The therapies included acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, reflexology and aromatherapy, all administered by qualified local practitioners.

This is something that we have all known to be true and I'm sure we all have antidotal evidence of. The real breakthrough at the heart of this pilot project is the local GP support and their recognition of the positive effects on their patients. In fact some GPs have expressed concern that at the end of the pilot their patients will no longer have free access to treatments which have made significant changes to their wellbeing.

This is a wake up call to the Department of Health that the CAM treatments in this pilot, at the very least, need to be funded and available to all NHS patients.

Moving forward it is time for the Department of Health to recognise that these and other CAM treatments should be given the funding and opportunity to prove their worth as part of a fully integrated 21st Century health service in the UK.

Click the link below to view the full report 

www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/hss/complementary-alternative-medicine.htm

Source: Kush Kumar Chairman Complementaries Therapies Association