Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2004; 9: 45
The extent and pattern of CAM provided within primary health care consultations is unknown. Many patients accessing CAM services outside of primary care may not be informing their GPs. With CAM experiencing considerable growth in its use and role within primary care it is important to have reliable baseline data recording the prevalence of its integration. The aim of the study was to audit the recording of CAM patient use during primary care consultations and the pattern of patient referrals to other CAM services.
This retrospective clinical audit aimed to capture details on recording the use of CAM during primary care consultations within Brent Primary Care Trust (PCT) over a 3-month period. Patient consultation details, including demographic, clinical and treatment data, were obtained from GP databases in order to obtain a measure of the provision of CAM. Using READ codes, a range of CAM-related terminology records were audited to explore the characteristics and conditions of those patients receiving CAM.
Preliminary data demonstrated that the majority of CAM users identified were female 66% and the most popular therapies provided were acupuncture, chiropody and osteopathy. Back and neck pain (35%, 16%) were the most frequently recorded condition. Data collection and analysis is ongoing. This pilot study will provide data to guide future CAM developments at Brent PCT and help develop policies for its provision.
This study was supported by the West London Research Network (WeLReN, www.welren.org) and Brent teaching PCT (www.brentpct.nhs.uk).
