NHS trusts cutting homeopathic services

Dr Tim Robinson, a GP who provides a homeopathic service in Dorset, said patients denied the treatments on the NHS may take risks by consulting non-medical homeopathic practitioners.  (!)

He said: "They will have to pay someone and go to a non-doctor and there are potential risks with that."

A homeopathy watchdog, the Natural HealthCare Council, is due to begin work in April. It has been set up by the Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health following a request from the Department of Health.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=R30N1F3FONQZ1QFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2008/01/30/nhealth330.xml

Fifth of NHS trusts turn away from homeopathy

30/1/08

"We must consider the cultural and social damage of maintaining as a matter of principle expenditure on practices which are unsupported by evidence."  (????)

But the signatories - which included a Nobel prize winner and six fellows of the Royal Society - say there is no convincing evidence that homeopathy works any better than a placebo.

Michael Baum, emeritus professor of surgery at University College London, who signed one of last year's letters, described homeopathy as "cheap and nasty medicine" and a "cruel deception".

Richard Hoey, deputy editor of Pulse, said: "If the NHS is now going to stop providing homeopathy, that needs to be a decision taken in the full glare of public debate, and not made in the committee rooms of cash-strapped trusts."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/30/nhs.health

For Pulse articles, you may have to click 'I am a health professional' in order to get into the website and then both the next two articles are listed on the webpage they take you to BUT you may be able to click the links below and get straight to the articles.

Homeopathy victim of PCT funding cuts

30 Jan 08

By Nigel Praities

Homeopathy is becoming the highest profile victim of the Government’s drive to promote cost-effective use of NHS resources, with PCTs across the country stopping funding for the controversial treatment.

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=23&storycode=4116950&c=2

Exclusive: Does homeopathy have any place in general practice?

30 Jan 08

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=25&storycode=4117018&c=2

NHS trusts 'reject homoeopathy'

30 January 2008.

NHS primary care trusts are slashing funding for homoeopathic treatment amid debate about its efficacy and the drive to cuts costs, a study has suggested.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7215470.stm

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