Memorandum by The Prince of Wales's Foundation
for Integrated Health (WP 51)
1. INTRODUCTION
(i) The Prince of Wales's Foundation for
Integrated Health was formed at the personal initiative of HRH
The Prince of Wales, who is now its President.
(ii) The Foundation aims to facilitate the
development of safe, effective and efficient forms of healthcare
by supporting the development and delivery of integrated healthcare.
In short, this means encouraging conventional and complementary
practitioners to work together in order to integrate their approaches.
2. Whether the proposals will enable the
Government to achieve its public health goals?
(i) The Foundation broadly welcomes the
Government's Public Health White Paper, and agrees with its statement
that the UK needs "policies and approaches which reflect
the realities of people's lives today".
(ii) However, The Foundation also believes
that it is essential that the Public Health White Paper addresses
complementary healthcare and traditional medicine.
(iii) The UK public's use of, and interest
in complementary healthcare shows no sign of diminishing. A recent
survey revealed that one in five of the UK population is now choosing
to use complementary therapies. [98]A
survey published by The Diagnostic Clinic[99]
also revealed that 68% of British adults believe that complementary
healthcare is as valid as conventional medicine.
(iv) It is therefore clear that more and
more people are taking responsibility for their health and as
result are demanding more choice. The Foundation therefore believes
that the Government cannot afford to ignore the need for an integrated
healthcare system, which will provide people with the treatment
of their choice: safe in the knowledge that it is effective and
well-regulated.
(v) We all—Government, Health Agencies,
Doctors, Complementary professionals and all other health practitioners
and experts have one goal in mind for now and for the future:
the optimum health of individuals in the UK. Optimum health
is an integration of body, mind and spirit, and emphasises health
and healing as well as disease and treatment. It is an approach
that takes into consideration environmental, psychosocial and
nutritional aspects of health, and recognises that different traditions,
treatments and methods all have a place.
(vi) The philosophy that underpins both
public health and complementary healthcare is a similar one: both
place the individual at the centre; both look at the underlying
causes of ill health as opposed to just the symptoms. Both attempt
not only to cure ailments but also to change lifestyles: in so
doing, emphasising the importance of a preventative approach to
healthcare: one that incorporates exercise, nutrition, mental
wellbeing, stress reduction, sleep and so on—as well as
a curative one.
(vii) But The Foundation believes, as does
the Government, that it is imperative to work together in order
to achieve our common and important goals. The White Paper states
that, "The public are clear that Government and individuals
alone cannot make progress on healthier choices. Real progress
depends on effective partnerships across communities". The
Foundation believes that only through working with all healthcare
practitioners and all healthcare traditions, can we collectively
achieve a new blueprint for the future of the UK's healthcare.
(viii) The Government has identified the
following key public health goals. The Foundation believes that
complementary healthcare can support these goals in the following
ways:
— Obesity: There are many causes
of obesity. Contributing factors include differing emotional issues.
Complementary healthcare can address these factors: eg. Tai Chi
and Yoga not only produce physical benefits but can also contribute
to an improvement in self-esteem and confidence in children and
adults. Nutritional therapists can similarly address the underlying
reasons for over-eating.
— Mental health: There is a
long history of the use of complementary healthcare to relieve
general stress and prevent mental illness. For example there is
good evidence that St John's Wort is helpful for those suffering
with mild depression and has an excellent safety record. Many
people use complementary healthcare to alleviate mild mental health
problems such as stress and anxiety. Aromatherapy, Bach flowers,
hypnotherapy, massage, nutrition, reflexology, reiki and yoga
are all recommended for stress and anxiety. The Mental Health
Foundation's survey in 1997 stated that many people found complementary
healthcare helpful in providing symptom relief and in improving
general health. [100]
— Sexual health: Complementary
practitioners can provide support to young people—they have
the time to listen and can encourage them to talk to their conventional
practitioners (eg sexually transmitted infections). Complementary
treatments improve self-esteem, confidence, the immune system
and to help fight infection.
— Smoking: There is evidence
that complementary healthcare can help to overcome addictions.
Good results have been documented with acupuncture and smoking,
opiate and alcohol dependence. Complementary healthcare therefore
offers a choice for smokers who wish to stop (eg acupuncture instead
of patches).
— A healthy NHS: Complementary
practitioners in primary care already support health improvement
in their day-to-day work with patients. They encourage individuals
to take more responsibility for their own health and support individuals
in changing their lifestyles. It is estimated that there are 17.5
million people in the UK suffering from long-term conditions and
people with long standing illnesses are more likely than others
to use complementary healthcare. [101]
An example of a long-term condition is multiple
sclerosis. The NICE guidelines on multiple sclerosis states that
"people with MS should be informed that there is some evidence
to suggest that the following items might be of benefit—reflexology
and massage, fish oils, magnetic field therapy, neural therapy,
massage plus body work, tai chi and multi-modal therapy."
[102]
(ix) In addition, there are other ways in
which complementary healthcare can improve the health of the nation:
— Health of our natural environment:
The Foundation believes that we urgently need to recognise the
environment causes of ill-health, such as industrial pollution
and household chemicals, which are giving rise to the increasing
levels of allergies in the UK. We must acknowledge the undeniable
link between the health of the environment and our collective
health and adopt far greater preventative measures.
3. Whether the proposals are appropriate,
will be effective and whether they represent value for money?
(i) The Foundation supports the proposals
of the White Paper but believes that they would be more effective
if they recognised and incorporated the complementary and integrated
healthcare field (see point 1).
4. Whether the necessary public health infrastructure
and mechanisms exist to ensure that proposals will be implemented
and goals achieved?
(i) With nearly half of all GP practices
in the UK providing some kind of access to complementary healthcare,
and 47,000 complementary healthcare practitioners in the UK, public
health should harness the developments in integrated healthcare.
This could be achieved by using the practitioners as allies in
order to promote and support their messages, and in order to offer
more choice about how to "Choose Health". The
Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health suggests that
the Government recruits some of the 47,000 complementary practitioners
in the UK to carry out the role of the suggested "health
trainers".
(ii) Of these practitioners, the osteopathy
and chiropractic complementary professions are now statutory regulated
on the same basis as doctors and nurses. Acupuncture and herbal
medicine are soon to be statutory regulated. The Department of
Health has recently granted the Foundation £900,000 for its
ongoing work in supporting the regulation of complementary therapies.
The three-year grant will begin in April 2005.
(iii) The Foundation also questions why
Healthy Living Centres are not mentioned in the Public Health
White Paper and why their sustainability are not addressed. The
Foundation believes that Healthy Living Centres can provide support
in the implementation and delivery of the elements in the White
Paper, by contributing to the public health infrastructure and
by presenting themselves as advocates of how healthy public policy
should be put into practice.
January 2005
98 Ernst E & White A The BBC survey of complementary
medicine use in the UK. Complementary Therapies in Medicine
2000; 8:32-36. Back
99
The Diagnostic Clinic. Press Release. http://www.thediagnosticclinic.com/pressreleases.htm
25/01/05 Back
100
The Mental Health Foundation. Healing Minds: A report on current
research, policy and practice concerning the use of complementary
and alternative therapies for a wide range of mental health problems.
York Publishing Services. 1998. Back
101
Ernst E Complementary medicine. PDS Information sheet
FS35. Parkinson's Disease Society, 2003. Back
102
National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions. Multiple
sclerosis: Management of multiple schlerosis in primary and secondary
care. National Institute for Clinical Excellence, November
2003 p 42. Back
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