From: Balens Events

Date: Wed, Jan 27, 2016 at 6:55 PM

Subject: Balens Ltd - NICE Guidelines propose to remove Complementary Therapy Services from Palliative Care

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends

We have been passed information to advise that the revision of NICE Guidelines for Improving Supportive and Palliative Care in Adults is under way and the scoping process has recommended that Complementary Therapy Services (CT) are removed from the guidelines. The rationale and implications for removing CT do not appear to have been given.

CT is given by hundreds of volunteers and some paid staff, who are practitioners of a number of different therapy practices, including reflexology, aromatherapy or massage, acupuncture, healing and Reiki, Tai Chi and others.

There is an emerging, though as yet small, body of evidence regarding how these practices support patients, their carer's and bereaved families cope with the myriad stresses and strains an illness, such as cancer or motor neurone disease, place on them. Indeed, we looked at this very area in our 2015 Balens CPD Training Event.

At Balens we know that many of our clients volunteer in their local NHS providers including hospitals and hospices, with patients and families finding it supportive. If NICE withdraws its support for CT, this may have implications for future funding of CT in establishments that receive NHS funding for palliative care, and may also result in CT being removed from other NICE guidelines.

What can we do?

Comments are invited during the consultation period which runs from 31/12/15 and ends 29/01/16, less than 2 weeks away. This does not give a great deal of time for feedback.

Details of the consultation document can be found at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/GID-CGWAVE0799/consultation/html-content

 

2.0 Read the Consultation Documents - Draft Scope.

Areas from the published guideline that will be removed - Complementary therapy services - can be found on line 109. We have registered Balens as a stakeholder and are happy for you to use our name on the comments form, should you choose to comment. The form can be down loaded under Section 3.0 - Make your Comments from the above link.

Please note: If you wish to comment on the removal of Complementary Therapy Services, this is noted on page 5, line 109 of the Consultation Document. These details will need to be noted on the comments form.

Alternatively, if you are part of an Association you may choose to forward this email to them, and encourage them to register also as a stakeholder prior to completing the comments form. Please also feel free to forward this email onto anyone whom you feel would be interested, and others, such as local hospices or NHS trusts, local or national media etc. should you feel so inspired. Thank you in advance for your support.

 

David Balen

Managing Direct, Balens Ltd

www.balens.co.uk