HM on NHS

Do you want to have closer ties with the NHS

Find out about Practice Based Commissioning in your local Primary Care Trust. For a brief explanation see the Unison connecting with the lead members of your local PBC board you can take the first steps towards finding your route into the NHS. website.

There are few instances of herbalists working within NHS primary and secondary care units. One of the supposed benefits of statutory regulation is that medical herbalists will become more acceptable to the mainstream, and in time the NHS might be more amenable to working alongside us as respected health professionals. It is clear that if we want this,we,as herbalists will have to make it happen, rather than the

other way around. In a forthcoming article in the Journal of Holistic Healthcare, our Herbalist, Max Drake, examines several issues arising from a case study of an established NHS primary healthcare setting, where herbal medicine consultations are offered free of charge to patients by a Medical Herbalist who is paid by the practice. By looking at how this service has worked over the last ten years we can start to focus on what might be important in pushing this agenda forward. The article discusses several key considerations, including:

• What needs are being met

• Inter professional relationships and

communication channels

• Clinical responsibility and autonomy

• Referral criteria

• Dispensary management

Download full article (230Kb)

Herbal Medicine in Primary Care - Max Drake

Journal of Holistic Healthcare Aug 2007

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Medicine As If People Matter

The BHMA is an organisation that is dedicated to promoting holistic healthcare therapies. Its broad membership includes doctors and nurses and many different varieties of CAM therapists. They publish, quarterly, the Journal of Holistic Healthcare. See their website for details of membership and subscription.