Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Complementary and alternative therapies are not commissioned by the ICB as “stand-alone” treatments due to a paucity of information on clinical effectiveness

In certain circumstances some of the procedures are commissioned as part of a broader contract with a mainstream provider (for example specialist pain management, oncology, palliative care and musculoskeletal [MSK] services) in a multi-disciplinary approach to symptom control

The alternative and complementary therapies and alternative disciplines covered by this policy include:

• Acupuncture
• Alexander Technique
• Anthroposophical medicine
• Aromatherapy
• Bach and other flower remedies
• Chinese herbal medicine
• Chiropractic
• Crystal therapy
• Dowsing
• Eastern medicine
• Healing Nutritional medicine
• Herbal medicine
• Hypnotherapy
• Iridology
• Kinesiology
• Maharishi Ayurvedic medicine
• Massage
• Meditation
• Naturopathy
• Neutralising Antigens/clinical ecology/environmental medicine
• Osteopathy
• Pilates
• Radionics
• Reflexology
• Shiatsu
• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Yoga

N.B. The alternative and complementary therapies/disciplines listed above are not exhaustive.