The Integrated Medicine Alliance, which operates under the wing of @The College of Medicine recently commissioned a nationally representative survey to assess how sentiment and the use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) amongst UK adults are shifting. We believe that complementary and conventional medicine can work together for better health outcomes for all and the findings from a 2000-strong survey echoed this, with one CAM therapy user on average to every two people seeking conventional treatment.

CAMs are already supporting large numbers of people and helping to ease pressure on the NHS, and our findings, which featured in @Laura Donnelly’s piece in The Sunday Telegraph over the weekend, reflect a clear and encouraging shift – CAMs are ultimately now mainstream, with 43% of adults using them.

However, our research also revealed an important gap. With more people – particularly younger generations – turning to platforms like YouTube and social media for health information, there is a critical need for greater consistency in how CAMs are understood, explained, and recommended across primary care.

It is clear that some CAMs (see those we endorse here) have a role to play in health care and prevention. Now we must ensure people have the knowledge and support to make fully informed choices, access the full spectrum of care available to them, and confidently integrate complementary therapies for the development of a holistic model of healing.

A helping hand to a healthier future – a downloadable .PDF

Original Article can be found on the Telegraph website