§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which health authorities currently fund homeopathic treatments(a) through contracts with service providers and (b) as extra contractual referrals; [29753]
- (2) how many people have received homeopathic treatment on the NHS over the last five years and how many in each year in each health authority;[29754]
- (3) how much has been spent each year over the last five years by each health authority on homeopathic treatment and how much as a proportion of their total budget. [29755]
§ Mr. MilburnNo information is collected centrally on the amount of homeopathic treatment being provided or on expenditure on these services. Some information on contracts for homeopathic treatment may be collected locally by health authorities but is not authorised or validated centrally.
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance the Government gives to health authorities on the use of and funding of homeopathic treatments; and if he will make a statement. [29756]
§ Mr. MilburnHealth authorities are able to include homeopathic services within the range of health services purchased to meet the health needs of their populations, if they wish to do so. Availability of homeopathic treatments within the National Health Service depends, therefore, on the decisions taken locally by health authorities and general practitioners about the clinical and cost effectiveness of such services, and the priority to be given to their provision in the light of other competing demands for the resources made available for local health needs.
No specific guidance has been issued to health authorities on the use and funding of homeopathic services and we have no plans to issue any.