Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Health written question – answered at on 19 December 2006.

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Photo of David Tredinnick David Tredinnick Conservative, Bosworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the Government have made in developing a framework for complementary and alternative medicine delivery.

Photo of Caroline Flint Caroline Flint Minister of State (Department of Health) (Public Health)

Decisions about referrals to any kind of treatment, whether it is orthodox, complementary or alternative medicine, should be made by local national health service providers and practitioners taking into account the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of any treatment as well as the availability of properly qualified and competent practitioners. Practice based commissioning enables the delegation of indicative budgets to practices for the commissioning of services, which best meet, the needs of patients including complementary and alternative health therapies.

With regards to the regulation of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, osteopaths and chiropractic practitioners are currently regulated and the Department is now looking at the regulation of herbal medicine practitioners and acupuncturists.

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