PrintComplementary medicine is controversial. Inclusion in the list of links below does not imply any endorsement by Patient UK for the types of treatments discussed or offered. See what the team at Bandolier ((Bandolier is produced monthly in Oxford for the NHS R&D Directorate) make of alternative and complementary medicine.
Umbrella and general organisations
British Complementary Medicine Association
A professional organisation whose website includes a find a therapist facility.
British Holistic Medical Association
The British Holistic Medical Association (BHMA), formed in 1983 by a group of medical doctors and students, is an organisation of professionals and members of the public who want to adopt a more holistic approach in their own life and work.
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
The key purpose of CNHC is to act in the public interest and enable proper public accountability of the complementary therapists that it registers.
Complementary Healthcare Information Service
Provides a guide to alternative and complementary medicine, self development and natural health.
Complementary Medical Association
The CMA is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the very highest standards of complementary medicine and natural healthcare.
Federation of Holistic Therapists
The FHT is the largest and leading professional association for therapists in the UK and Ireland, with thousands of members offering a broad range of specialisms - from sports and remedial therapies, to complementary healthcare and holistic beauty treatments.
Fellowship of Authors and Artists
The aims of the FAA are to promote and encourage the use of writing and all art forms as a means of therapy and self-healing and to provide a resource and meeting point for all interested parties.
IAAPT - Complementary Health Register
The IAAPT is an Independent Regulatory Agency that seeks to increase public confidence in all qualified, competent and insured therapists. They list all therapists who have applied to them for registration AND those they are told about and whose data is in the public domain. Where possible they also provide information on the therapists' qualifications, competence, insurance and if they, the IAAPT, have received feedback from clients.
Institute for Complementary and Natural Medicine
The ICNM administers the British Register of Complementary Practitioners (BRCP), a multi-disciplinary register of professional practitioners and therapists who have provided evidence of their individual competence to practice.
Internet Health Library
A large UK alternative medicine, complementary therapy and natural health care resource.
Therapy-specific organisations and websites
Acupuncture
British Acupuncture Council
Information about all aspects of acupuncture and particularly traditional acupuncture as practised in the United Kingdom.
British Medical Acupuncture Society
Information about the society and how to find a local practitioner.
Acupuncture
Information from NHS Choices.
Chiropractic
British Chiropractic Association
Can supply information about local chiropractors in your area.
Chiropractic Patients Association
The CPA is a registered charity and supports chiropractic. It provides an information help line and supports, with modest grants, chiropractic research and education.
General Chiropractic Council
The GCC is the UK statutory body with regulatory powers, established by the Chiropractors Act 1994. The site lists registered chiropractors.
McTimoney Chiropractic Association
The McTimoney method of chiropractic was developed by the late John McTimoney over 50 years ago and is taught only at the McTimoney College of Chiropractic in Abingdon, near Oxford. UK members of the McTimoney Chiropractic Association are registered with the General Chiropractic Council.
United Chiropractic Association
The UCA is an organisation representing chiropractors and students.
Chiropractic
Information from NHS Choices.
Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy
British Herbal Medicine Association
The BHMA was founded in 1964 to advance the science and practice of herbal medicine in the United Kingdom and to ensure its continued statutory recognition at a time when all medicines were becoming subject to greater regulatory control.
Herbal medicines: Advice for consumers
Information from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which is the government agency responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work, and are acceptably safe.
Homeopathy Home
A portal for information and links on all aspects of homeopathy.
International Register of Consultant Herbalists & Homoeopaths
Members of the IRCH have received extensive academic and practical clinical training and passed examinations set by the Faculty of Herbal Medicine and the Homoeopathic Foundation.
National Institute of Medical Herbalists
The NIMH is the UK’s leading professional body representing herbal practitioners. It is is self-regulating and run on a voluntary basis.
Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine
Set up in 1987 to regulate the practice of Chinese Herbal Medicine in the UK.
Society of Homeopaths
The Society of Homeopaths is a not for profit professional membership organisation, voluntary register and regulator of homeopaths which sets and maintains standards in the public interest.
Homeopathy
Information from NHS Choices.
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy Directory
Search for a hypnotherapist near you.
National Council for Hypnotherapy
The NCH represents over 1800 hypnotherapy professionals within the UK and is committed to ensuring the highest possible professional standards amongst its members.
National Society of Professional Hypnotherapists (NSPH)
Strives to enhance and uphold the profession of hypnotherapy to the highest standards possible for the benefit of its members and the general public.
The National Hypnotherapy Society
The NSPH is a non profit making hypnotherapy organisation funded by the membership for the benefit of the membership to co-ordinate hypnotherapy training, to act as a disciplinary body, to assist in obtaining insurance cover and to co-ordinate advertising.
Osteopathy
Osteopathic Centre for Children
A charity that seeks to ensure that paediatric osteopathy is established as an option for parents and carers, by training paediatric osteopaths to set up clinics in all parts of the country, and raising public awareness of children's osteopathy.
General Osteopathic Council
Regulates the practice of osteopathy in the UK. By law osteopaths must be registered with the GOsC in order to practise.
Osteopathy
Information from NHS Choices.
Reflexology
Association of Reflexologists
The AoR is an independent professional association for reflexology in the UK.
British Reflexology Association
The British Reflexology Association is a representative body for reflexology practitioners and students.
Reflexology International
Site offering information and resources.
International Institute of Reflexology
The oldest reflexology school with branches worldwide. In the UK they teach on a regional basis, offering professional diploma courses which are 1 year in duration.
Other therapies
British Association for Music Therapists
BAMT is the professional body for music therapists and a source of information, support and involvement for the general public.
Buteyko Breathing Association
Supervises, co-ordinates and promotes the activity of Buteyko practitioners within the UK. Buteyko helps people with disordered breathing patterns such as panic breathing, mouth breathing or dry coughing to retrain themselves to use a normal breathing pattern at all times.
Feldenkrais Guild
The non-profit professional organisation of practitioners and teachers of the Feldenkrais Method®, an educational method focusing on learning and movement.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage UK
MLD UK is an association of therapists trained in the treatment of lymphoedema and otherpathologies using a technique called Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
General Council and Register of Naturopaths
An independent registering body of persons qualified to practise naturopathy.
Reiki Council
The lead advisory body for Reiki Practitioners in the UK representing the views of people giving Reiki to the public across the UK, they are a non profit-making body that sets standards and guidelines and provides information and advice.
Shiatsu Society (UK)
A non-profit organisation which represents all styles and the majority of Shiatsu practitioners, schools and students in the UK
Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique
STAT was founded in the UK by teachers who were trained personally by FM Alexander. The Society’s first aim is to ensure the highest standards of teacher training and professional practice.
The Academy of Systematic Kinesiology
The Academy of Systematic Kinesiology (TASK) teaches authentic, reproducible and logical systematic kinesiology. They also provide information on kinesiology and muscle testing.