HC Deb 14 January 2003 vol 397 cc544-6
15. Mr. David Tredinnick (Bosworth)

What steps he is taking to improve GPs' understanding of acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal medicine and homeopathy. [90203]

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Jacqui Smith)

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on being called to ask his question; it has relieved my hon. Friends of the guessing game of who will be on the happy receiving end of it.

In June 2000 we issued an information pack for primary care groups on the most commonly used therapies. We are currently co-funding with the King's Fund a project run by Westminster university to develop good practice in the clinical governance of complementary and alternative medicine, using a network of primary care trusts.

Mr. Tredinnick

I thank the Minister for that reply. Does she agree that with 20 per cent. of the population now using complementary therapies, the time has come to make doctors more aware and thereby ensure a better interface, which is what many doctors want? Does she accept that the problem is that the royal colleges and faculties are not issuing guidance or providing post-graduate courses for doctors, which goes against the recommendations in the Lords report, in particular recommendation 6.85, which says that the royal colleges should address the issue of familiarisation by supporting appropriate Continuing Professional Development opportunities for doctors? Will she assure us that she will consider the issue to determine whether it is appropriate to issue guidance to the royal colleges?

Jacqui Smith

As the hon. Gentleman points out, many of the decisions are for the royal colleges to make, but the medical profession has recently added a mandatory requirement for complementary and alternative medicine familiarisation to the medical curriculum.

Alongside that, the network that I referred to earlier is important in helping to ensure that GPs and primary care trusts are confident about clinical governance issues concerning the use of complementary and alternative medicine. To support that process, Ministers recently agreed to provide additional funding to help to extend the network and to create an interactive website for participants, so that more people can understand what I know the hon. Gentleman strongly believes to be the benefits of such treatment.