On June 30th the British Medical Association is due to vote on a number of Resolutions calling for the NHS to stop funding homeopathic hospitals and homeopathic treatments. Although the BMA is not a decision making body, if passed this could possibly lead towards the end of homeopathy on the NHS altogether.

Resolutions they will be voting on, in brief, are that:

· there should be no further commissioning or funding for homeopathic remedies or homeopathic hospitals in the NHS;

· UK training posts for student doctors should not include homeopathy;

· pharmacists and chemists should put homeopathic remedies on shelves clearly labelled 'placebos';

· homeopathy should be first in line for NHS cuts since it is unproven and expensive.

The British Homeopathic Association is holding a demonstration outside the conference on the morning of Wednesday, 30th June and all patients and supporters of homeopathy are being called upon to make sure it is as large as possible, to show that patients want homeopathy and to show that these BMA doctors are not acting on behalf of, but in opposition to the views of many of their patients.

There are several ways you can help.

Support the demonstration if you can

Where: The Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 2GR

When: 10:30am, Wednesday, 30th June, 2010-06-17

Many of you will not be able to get to Brighton, but if you can, please be there and ask your family, friends and colleagues to join you. If you are able to go and want more details contact the British Homeopathic Association – csumner@BritishHomeopathic.org or telephone 01582 408675.

Write letters

Write to your MP and the Health Minister, copy your letter and send it to the Chairman of the British Medical Association and ask your family and friends to do the same.

Key points for your letters:

1. Information about your positive personal experience of homeopathy.

2. express your concern about the lack of patient involvement in these decisions even though it is the patients who will be the ones to suffer the consequences

3. The motions being put before the BMA will curtail patient choice at a time when government says it wants to widen patient choice and access, and encourage a patient-centred NHS, 

4. The motions being put before the BMA council are inappropriate and are outside its remit as a trade union.

5. The BMA has not consulted homeopathic doctors, professional bodies or patients before proposing such resolutions.

6. The motions fail to respect the professionalism of the BMA’s own members who also practice homeopathy

7. The NHS spends very little on homeopathy, but it often helps patients who have not been helped by conventional methods and who have chronic, multiple health problems. Since homeopathic medicines account for only 0.001% of the NHS drugs budget this is cost effective to the NHS.

Contact Details

MP:

You can find your Constituency MP's contact details at: http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/ in the Yellow Pages or by phoning the Houses of Parliament Information Office on 020 7219 4272.

Minister of Health:

Rt Hon Andrew Lansley CBE MP,

Secretary of State for Health,

House of Commons,

London SW1A 0AA 

lansleya@parliament.uk 

British Medical Association

Dr. Hamish Meldrum Chairman

British Medical Association

BMA House

Tavistock Square

London  WC1H 9JP

Email through their website http://www.bma.org.uk/ 

If we don't act now … will we get another chance?