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Should complementary therapies be funded through taxation?

Last year, the West Kent Primary Care Trust made a decision not to routinely fund homeopathy treatment under the NHS and to restrict funding to certain categories of patient, for example, where conventional treatments were no longer relevant and where the alternative treatment was part of an overall therapeutic / care package. With pressure on funding our care services, to what extent should so-called alternative / complementary therapies be funded through taxation or through the council taxpayer?  

Should the "clinical effectiveness" of treatments, established through the use of properly conducted clinical trials, so-called "evidenced based medicine", be the sole arbiter of which services are provided?

Su Berry
Posts: 7
Comment
Homeopathy
Reply #8 on : Tue February 16, 2010, 10:12:07
The money spent on the NHS is "our" money - and we all should have a choice as to where we want to spend it money is always well spent if it is on what we want.
there is no wrong choice, informed choice is important and we all need more information aboutabput the pros and cons of different medical treatment. At the moment we only get information about conventional drug based medicine, and all to often we are not told about the dangers of the drugs we are given.
When the NHS truly offers us choice I will chose Homeopathy alongside Osteopathy and Acupuncture as my "best possible care" My experience tells me that it is both more effective and undoubtedly safer.
If you are looking for a large scale trial in effetiveness look into the provision in Cuba of Homeopathic nosodes as prevention of Leptospirosis, a huge trial of millions of people far more effective and much much cheaper.
Su Berry
D Morris
Posts: 7
Comment
complementary treatments
Reply #7 on : Sat February 13, 2010, 19:20:11
The waiting time for many conventional treatments can be far too long . People all respond to others taking an interest in them.
Complementary treatments can be taken with out a long waiting period and in a great number of cases appear to succeed. Given such succeess I see no reason not to pay for them with public funds.
DIANE MARSH
Posts: 7
Comment
funding
Reply #6 on : Mon April 27, 2009, 15:25:04
Dear Mark,

one hopes that you havnt had to use the services of a therapist during chemotherapy or indeed when dying of a terminla illness! Im sorry but until we make these therapies a part of the holistic approcah we will continue to get what we ahve alwasy had...........trust me the intproduction of therapys will bring drugs budgets down and will imporve the health of the nation ! we may not be abelt o tell exactly whats what but proff is in the pudding so lets get cookin!
Christiane Elias MA (cum laude)(US)
Posts: 7
Comment
Comment of services received
Reply #5 on : Sat February 14, 2009, 07:07:24
My son who is a longtime sufferer of schizophrenia and myself, who has "enjoyed" dubious health since our arrival in England have recently had quite a lot of dealings with various deprtments of the south east region.
I have looked up the various agencies on the Internet and am amazed at the lack of co-ordination between the various agencies and the service offered by the NHS
Both my son and I have excellent academic qualifications. Both of us are prepared to offer what skills we have in assisting the local groups and the NHS in their valuable work. However, our experience does not appear to assist us in our desire to be of assistance. .
We would be happy to duscuss this with the relevant authorities.
sincerely,
Christiane M. Elias MA(cum laude)(US)
R.K. Dives BA Social Science (Hons)(UCT)
sue
Posts: 7
Comment
complementary therapies
Reply #4 on : Thu February 05, 2009, 10:27:12
I agree with bonnie as a massage therapist and infant massage instructor,that these therapies should be available to all, via the NHS or Health Centres and GP practices, and not the selective few how can pay,
I fully agree that many alternative therapies are especially beneficial in end of life care. are we a caring society, as proclaimed or caring only to those who can afford it.
Chez
Posts: 7
Comment
Should complementary therapies be funded through Taxation
Reply #3 on : Wed February 04, 2009, 18:11:18
I agree with Bonny in respect of complementary therapies for end-of-life care but also those battling with debilitating illnesses such as cancer, mental illness, etc. Surely we should be looking at the whole person and therefore a holistic approach is what is needed with a mix of orthodox and complementary treatments taylored to individual needs.
bonny
Posts: 7
Comment
Re: Should complementary therapies be funded through taxation?
Reply #2 on : Tue December 02, 2008, 21:19:22
If a complementary tjherapy is going to help the patient then why not provide it? The NHS needs to keep abreast with all initiatives / discoveries if they are proven to be effective. The NHS should not just rely on medical / surgical / traditional methods of treatment and advancements in these - medicines / surgical procedures for example.
Is the NHS about keeping people healthy or is it about treating illness? Or is it about improving people's quality of life. Here I am thinking of end of life care where some complementary / alternative therapies may help the patient to deal with / cope with / their illness and definetely help make them more comfortable in their latter days.
bluespark
Posts: 1
Comment
Mark Ryder
Reply #1 on : Fri November 28, 2008, 14:19:45
I think we should not have to fund these at all

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