Abstract
Objective:
To assess homeopathic consultations in NHS general practice over a 12-month study
period; to analyse the conditions treated homeopathically and assess the responses
to homeopathy prescribed in a standard 10 min GP consultation.
Methods:
Data on each homeopathic consultation over 12 months were recorded: including patient
details; condition/diagnosis; response score; prescribed medicine; prescribing strategy;
medical speciality category. Clinical response was scored using a modified version
of the Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital Outcome Scale.
Results:
Over the 12-month study period, a total of 5331 consultations were conducted within
the general practice; 489 (9%) of these consultations were homeopathic. A wide variety
of conditions were treated homeopathically, 78% of patients had a positive clinical
response, 19% no response, 3% negative response. Analysis of the prescribing strategies
demonstrated that 73% of the homeopathic prescriptions were issued using the ‘problem-based’
strategy. The remainder were ‘patient-based’ (19%), ‘context-based’ (4%) and ‘combined’
(4%) strategies.
Conclusions:
This study illustrates the varied and successful application of homeopathy within
the general practice setting. Response scores reveal the beneficial effects of homeopathic
treatment. This study supports the use of homeopathy within NHS general practice,
delivered in a 10 min consultation.
Keywords
homeopathy - general practice - effectiveness - consultation time - NHS - private
practice
