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FAQs

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1/ What sort of health problems can Balanced Medicine help?
The team have experience and training in primary health care, so we are used to dealing with a very wide range of different health problems. We are able to apply a Balanced Medicine approach to any non- emergency health need. The philosophy of our approach is to treat the individual rather than the problem or diagnosis.

2/ What types of medicine and complementary medicine might be included in my programme?
There are many approaches which our clinicians are able to draw on. Services and treatments offered at our Centre may include:

There may also be times when we refer to therapists and specialists outside this Centre.

3/ What can I expect at my first appointment?
The first assessment appointment is usually one hour. You will be asked to fill out a health questionnaire prior to this. During your appointment a thorough picture of your health and needs is obtained. An examination is carried out if appropriate, as are blood pressure, weight, spirometry, blood sugar levels, and blood tests. Following your first appointment, we will send you a comprehensive report which includes our recommendations. We also write to your GP. You may need to make other appointments for particular interventions/therapies/classes or further tests.

4/ How long is an appointment?
The first assessment appointment is usually 1 hour. A follow up appointment is usually 30 or 15 minutes, depending on your needs.

5/ How many appointments would I need?
This very much depends on your needs. However, as a general guide, most people would have a follow up appointment after following their programme for 1-2 months, and again as their needs change. There may also be other appointments as part of a patient’s programme, e.g. for Yoga Therapy, Progressive Counselling, allergy desensitization etc.

6/ Do you offer telephone appointments?
We offer telephone appointments for Balanced Medicine follow –ups  where appropriate. However, the first assessment appointment is best face to face, to allow for appropriate examinations or tests. Unfortunately we are not able to provide telephone appointments to people outside the U.K.

7/ Do you do home visits?
We do not offer home visits routinely. However, if you live within 10 miles of the Centre and are house bound, we will do our best to provide this where possible for Balanced Medicine appointments. We would normally charge for travel time in addition to the usual appointment fee. Some of our services cannot be provided at home, due to the specialised facilities needed.

8/ Can I email you about my health problems?
Although we welcome emails for general enquires, we cannot answer your specific health questions by email, as email cannot be considered secure or confidential. Please book an appointment or telephone appointment for this purpose.

9/ Do you see children?
Yes. People under 16 years old need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

10/ How is Balanced Medicine different from integrated medicine?
‘Integrated medicine’ is health care that uses both conventional and complementary medicine in combination. It usually refers to doctors and complementary therapists working together as part of a team, but does sometimes involve doctors fully trained in both areas. The advantages of this approach are that treatments should work well together and the person’s health is considered from an orthodox and complementary perspective. There are also many interventions that are natural, but which require a doctor to administer or prescribe. Another important advantage to integrated medicine is that appropriate changes to medication can be planned by someone who understands the implications of all the treatments the patient is having.  In addition, some supplements and herbal medicines interact with medication, and an integrated approach should prevent such interactions.

Pioneered by Dr Nicholson, Balanced Medicine takes the integrated medicine model further, in order to address peoples' whole health needs more fully. In Balanced Medicine, the person making the assessment and offering the treatment is trained in both medicine and a range of complementary medicine approaches. In other words, instead of one person making an assessment and then liaising with a team of others who may have different approaches and opinions, the assessing clinician already has the necessary breadth of knowledge to be able to make a full assessment and develop the treatment plan themselves. They are able to advise the patient on the pros and cons of many different options, as appropriate. This means that the patient can truly be offered what they need, based on their overall health and preferences. The resulting health programme will have been designed to fit into the patient’s life, with no overlapping or conflicting advice or treatments. We find that most of our patients have limited time, and value being able to get all the information and advice they need from one clinician.

11/ Do I need to have a Balanced Medicine assessment before attending a class or having an appointment for Natural Healing, Progressive Counselling or Transformation Yoga classes?
No. You may book these independently of a balanced Medicine assessment. However, if you wish to consider allergy desensitisation injections, it is essential that you have a Balanced Medicine assessment first.

12/ Will I have to stop my medication?
No. Balanced medicine understands and respects that we are all different and have different needs. We aim to help you find the best way forward for your health, and this may well include medication. However, many clients are keen to explore other ways of supporting their health, and when people address their health holistically, they may find that their need for certain medications is reduced. Any changes to medication need to be carefully considered by both client and doctor, and we would always contact your GP about any proposed medication changes. It is very important that you do not stop your medication without appropriate medical advice and supervision.

13/ I want to stop my medication - can Balanced Medicine help me with this?Many people are looking for natural ways to manage their health needs. Our dual training means that we are able to advise on the pros and cons of drug and other interventions in the light of medical evidence and our clinical experience. We find that many people are able to reduce or remove their need for medication when they have used other methods to address their health. However, some people do need to continue their medication long term, and we will give you sensible and honest advice about this. We always inform your GP if you are making any changes to your medication.

14/ Can I be sure the clinician I am seeing is properly trained and qualified?Our team is very well qualified in both mainstream and complementary health disciplines. Please see the ‘team’ section for full details of our Clinicians’ qualifications and training. We ensure that all relevant registrations and training requirements are maintained, and clinicians follow the moral and professional codes of each applicable professional regulatory body. In addition we operate in-house and external appraisal systems.

15/ Can I attend The Centre for Balanced Medicine instead of seeing my GP?We do not offer a GP or Primary Care service, and you would continue to be registered with and access your own GP in the usual way. We specialise in holistic health programmes, drawing on both conventional and complementary approaches, and will write to you GP about our recommendations. Occasionally we may need to liaise directly with your GP.

16/ What if I have a medical emergency?
We help patients address their ongoing and long term health needs. We do not provide an emergency service, and you should continue to access emergency care in the usual way via your GP or the emergency services as appropriate. However, if you have a query related to your Balanced Medicine programme or treatments, please do telephone us for advice in office hours.

17/ Can I bring a friend or relative?
You are welcome to bring a partner, relative, friend or carer with you to your Balanced Medicine appointment. Others prefer to come into their appointment on their own, in which case your relative or friend is welcome to use the waiting room, or enjoy our grounds. Progressive Counselling and Natural Healing appointments are unaccompanied, except for children under 18 years, or if you have having couple or family counselling.

18/ When do I need to pay for my appointment?
We ask that you settle your bill at the time of your appointment. We are able to accept cash or cheques. Blood tests or other investigations are either paid for at the time of the test, or directly to the laboratory in some cases. Allergy desensitisation treatment is payable at the time of booking, as we have to order your treatment especially.

19/ What if I need to cancel or change my appointment?
If you need to cancel or change your appointment, we ask that you give 24 hours notice. If you are not able to give 24 hours notice or you miss your appointment, the full fee for your appointment is payable. However, we will use our discretion in cases of late appointment changes due to illness.

20/ Is information I give confidential?
We respect your right to confidentiality, and follow the guidelines of our professional bodies strictly in this regard. We do write to your GP following a Balanced Medicine appointment about matters relevant to your medical care, and in particular with details of any nutritional treatments recommended or allergy desensitisation; we ask for your consent to do this on our registration form. However, we take care to pass on information on a need to know basis only, and do not include personal information which would not affect your medical care. We may also write to your GP following other appointments and treatments. If there is something which you specifically do not wish to be included in the letter to your GP, or you wish to see the letter before it is sent, please ask at the time of your appointment.

 

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