Get Well UK makes it possible for GPs to confidently refer their patients to complementary therapists, by providing information, support and a team of highly skilled and qualified practitioners. With NHS funding this service is free to patients. We believe that complementary medicine can play an important role in improving health and well-being and we want to ensure more people have access to effective healthcare, not just those who can afford to pay for it privately.
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Project Background: when he was Health Minister for Northern Ireland, Paul Goggins MP announced a new fund to pilot the integration of complementary medicine into the NHS. He said that these therapies should be made available to all people, not just people who can afford to pay privately – sentiments that we share. Primary care was struggling to cope with the number of patients with musculoskeletal and mental health problems and something new needed to be tried.
Get Well UK ran the pilot project for one year until 1 March 2008. The service was available to patients registered with a GP practice at The Arches Centre, East Belfast or Shantallow Health Centre, Derry.
An independent audit and focus groups were conducted by Social and Market Research. This will be released when the current Health Minister decides on the way forward.
