Hi Debs,

This is really good news both for those requiring herbal treatment and the Hospital itself.I do hope the Clinic is well patronised,but one must wonder for NHS patients how easy will it be for them to get a referal from their family doctor?

There is a vocal movement in the orthodox medical community to withdraw the support that the handful of homoeopathic hospitals receive from the NHS.The argument is that budgets are tight and money should not be squandered on unproven "quack" therapies.Were it not for the ongoing Royal patronage of homoeopathy I suspect that the Royal London and other NHS funded institutions would have disappeared long ago.Fortunately they are still with us.

Kevin

Hi Kevin

The difficulty won't be getting the GP to refer to the Herbal Clinic, but getting the Primary Care Trust to fund it. Funding for any kind of completmentary therapy is a bit like searching for hen's teeth when it's coming from PCTs.

I wish the new clinic every success, but I don't think it's going to keep going using NHS referrals, thankfully there is a private funding option.

Sarah

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for your comments.I fear that I left Britain so long ago that Health Trusts and the like mean very little to me.May I safely assume this is just another level of bureaucracy?
Regards
Kevin

Hi Kevin

I could just say "Yes" to your question, but, because I'm a pedantic soul, I'll explain a little further with a warning for readers of a delicate disposition that this has nothing to do with herbs!

When you feel unwell, you go to your GP, with whom you are registered as an NHS patient. If he decides you need further treatment he sends you to a hospital which provides NHS treatment or if it's a procedure rather than a test, you can choose and book your place depending on where your local PCT has a contract. If you need/want other kinds of care, you may have to argue with your PCT in order to get it funded.

The PCT has a responsibility to commission health services based on the morbidity and mortality levels of its local population. They are given money by the Secretary of State to do this. It's up to each PCT to decide what they want to fund - it may be lots of hip replacements or statins for stroke prevention or exercise on prescription. Each PCT is different. In some areas you may get three goes at IVF if you're under 40 years of age, in others they will pay for you to have hypnosis if you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome.

Everyone is screaming because there is a post code lottery for the funding of some cancer drugs or drugs for Parkinsons (we won't mention Aricept for dementia). The National Institute for Clinical Excellence decides one drug is good and another isn't, so hospitals are supposed to prescribe it and PCTs are supposed to pay for it, but the Government doesn't give extra money to buy the new drugs, they just expect the PCTs to juggle their budgets.which they do by hitting soft targets like sexual health clinics or mental health services and those in most need suffer more. (Don't mind me, I'm biased!).

Getting PCTs to purchase care from the Royal Homeopathic Hospital has been very problematic in the past few years, despite legal challenges. I don't think it's going to be any easier getting referrals to the herbal medicine clinic. It would make more sense if the PCT funded sessions at local medical herbalists rather than having the majority of the population travel down to London.

Just my twopenneth.

Sarah

Sarah,

Thank you so much.It all sounds quite dreadful.THe outlook for any NHS funding of complementary therapies sounds very bleak.

I have in fact just read an article about the Tunbridge Wells Homoeopathic Hospital.Last September the local Primary Care Trust,West Thanet,decided to withdraw annual funding of GBP 160,000 to the Hospital.At the time it was predicted that within 6 months the Hospital would be closed,so by now this has probably happened.The withdrawal of funding would also lead to the closure of a long established homoeopathic clinic in Bromley that acted as a referral centre for the Hospital.

Your suggestion certainly makes more sense,but the reality is if you want herbal or other alternative treatment,you are on your own.

Kevin