Mr. Tom Ellisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether acupuncture and medical hypnosis are subjects taught in medical schools; and whether they are officially recognised as medical subjects by his Department.
§ Mr. MoyleThe medical school curriculum is a matter for the individual universities subject to the requirements of the General Medical Council. Doctors in the National Health Service are free to use whatever techniques they think best for their patients, and my Department does not have any procedure for recognising medical subjects officially.
Mr. Tom Ellisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether grants under Section 63 of the National Health Service Act have been made to medical practitioners enabling them to undergo training in acupuncture and medical hypnosis.
§ Mr. MoyleThe selection of subjects for training courses for general practitioners which may qualify for financial support under Section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 is a matter for the postgraduate medical deans of universities.
The deans have taken the view that acupuncture is not of sufficient relevance to the work of general practitioners to warrant financial support for training 48W courses. I understand that very few registered medical practitioners wish to practice acupuncture.
Financial support has been provided from time to time for training courses in medical hypnosis.