§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps are being taken to recognise at consultant level those practitioners with extensive experience in homeopathic medicine gained before 1 January 1997; [86325]
(2) what provision there is for the training of orthodox physicians in their conventional path of accreditation in homeopathy and complementary medicine. [86328]
§ Mr. Macdonald[holding answer 11 June 1999]There is currently no statutory training path for doctors in homeopathy in the UK, although consultants in homeopathy have been appointed in the NHS. Since 1 January 1997 it has been a requirement to be on the GMC' s Specialist Register in order to be eligible for appointment as a substantive or honorary NHS consultant. Doctors holding substantive NHS consultant appointments in homeopathy before 31 December 1998 were able to apply for inclusion in the Register under transitional provisions in the European Specialist Medical Qualifications Order 1995 (as amended). New consultants in homeopathy would ordinarily expect to be trained in another medical specialty recognised for the purposes of specialist registration, as well as in the non-statutory requirements for homeopathy.
The requirements for specialist medical education are governed by European Directive 93/16/EEC. The practice of homeopathy varies greatly across the EEA, and there is no provision within the Directive to recognise homeopathy for the purposes of medical training. The Faculty of Homeopathy has previously indicated its intention to develop a nationally recognised training programme in homeopathy. In order to do so, the Faculty 53W would need to satisfy the Specialist Training Authority of the Medical Royal Colleges (STA) that the training programme met the requirements of Directive 93/16/EEC. It would then be for the STA to apply to the Secretary of State for Health for inclusion of the specialty in the European Specialist Medical Qualifications Order 1995 (as amended).
In Scotland trainees are able to undertake sessions in homeopathy at the Homeopathic Hospital in Glasgow during their training in General Medicine, provided that they fully comply with the Joint Committee on Higher Medical Training curriculum in General Medicine. At present the North Glasgow Acute Trust, of which the Homeopathic Hospital forms part, has two consultant physicians with an interest in homeopathy. It also has one higher medical trainee who is undertaking sessions in homeopathy. Two general professional trainees (Senior House Officers) are also based at the Homeopathic Hospital. In the west of Scotland registrars in general practice are funded to attend courses in homeopathy if they wish, but numbers who request it at that stage are small. Once they are in independent practice, however, demand increases and homeopathy courses are accredited for reimbursement by the NHS through the Postgraduate Education Allowance for GPs.
§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients are currently on the waiting list of the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital. [86324]
§ Mr. Macdonald[holding answer 11 June 1999]On 31 March 1999 the number of patients waiting for inpatient/day treatment at the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital was 37.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.