Global Community

Connecting through person-centred holistic healthcare for greater wellbeing

If you value a pursuit of wellness that is based on an individual’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs, you’re among Friends. As the charity supporting the NHS Centre for Integrative Care, we’re on a mission to make sure patients understand their right to having a choice in healthcare, and that complementary and alternative interventions are available to them.

For the community in Scotland and beyond: Perhaps you’re an individual seeking information to support your own health or someone else’s, or you belong to a company or organisation concerned about wellbeing, or you’re a wellness practitioner — we’re here as a resource for information and to align with others who share our mission for a healthier Scotland and UK. We wish to connect with the local, regional and global community of people and organisations who believe in holistic healthcare.

We’re happy to help you learn about:

  • the benefits of Integrative Care
  • a patient’s right to participate in healthcare treatment decisions
  • getting a referral to the NHS Centre for Integrative Care (CIC) in Glasgow
  • our online classes and talks
  • how you can support our causes centred on improving access to person-centred holistic care

 

Curious to know if Integrative Care could support your health? Just ask your general practitioner (GP). According to The Charter of Patient Rights & Responsibilities (Scotland) it is your “right to be involved in decisions about your own care and treatment. NHS staff should not make decisions about your care and treatment without involving you in that decision. You can ask for a second opinion before you make a decision about your care and treatment, if you think you need it,” Further, the law requires that, “The range of options available in the patient’s case is considered,” and too often integrative care is overlooked.

Many GPs don’t realise that referral to the NHS Centre for Integrative Care is available. Referrals can be made by a GP, hospital specialist, a specialist nurse, physiotherapist, or other healthcare professional. The NHS Centre for Integrative Care accepts referrals from all healthcare professionals in exactly the same way as all other hospitals and clinics; there is no cost for referrals or consultations. All patients are offered an appointment with an experienced medical practitioner or senior clinician within nine weeks of the referral letter being received. If you have questions or need help approaching your GP, email hello@friendscic.org or phone 07532619335. We’re happy to help!

Every citizen can be a great force in the cause for affordable holistic healthcare by voicing their priorities and concerns to their elected officials. We want to help you make informed decisions when you go to the polls in 2021. Stay tuned for our upcoming ‘Vote for Health’ page, which will outline issues of importance, and provide a link for you to find your MSP or MP to see how they are delivering on promises for your health. We encourage you to contact your representatives in Parliament and, if you need help, we can do it for you.

Scotland has been a leader in medicine and holistic healthcare for centuries, from Dr. Joseph Lister’s antiseptic surgery breakthroughs in Glasgow and Edinburgh to GPs in Shetland being the first known to prescribe spending time in nature. This forward-thinking spirit continues today.

Scotland is leading the way internationally, along with Iceland and New Zealand, naming the health and wellbeing of its citizens as being as fundamental to the country’s success as its GDP (Gross Domestic Product). The Centre for Integrated Care upholds this vision. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who previously served as health minister, established the National Performance Framework to measure improvement on a range of economic, social and environmental factors. Watch her TED Talk on this topic.

This person-centred holistic approach includes complementary and alternative therapies that have been shown to improve patients’ quality of life. Learn more here. Interventions offered at The Centre for Integrative Care include Acupuncture, Mindfulness, Homeopathy, Art and Music Therapy, Counselling, Mistletoe Therapy, Physiotherapy, and more. View the full list. The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for Integrated Healthcare produced a report [PDF] that urges government to embrace complementary, traditional and natural medicine to assist with addressing the key health issues affecting the country. The 2019 report was produced in consultation with 113 complementary and alternative medicine organisations, according to the Complementary & Natural Health Council.

Do you practice a holistic approach to health, or wish to?
Do you believe in the right to access affordable person-centred Integrative Care?
Would you like to access free online classes and talks connected to the NHS Centre for Integrative Care?
Are you interested in supporting our causes for the benefit of yourself or others? Ready to take a stand to support the UK’s only purpose-built NHS facility offering Integrative Care?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these, we’d love to welcome you as a member of Friends of the Centre for Integrative Care, either as an individual or an organisation. From December 2020 through March 2021 we are offering FREE MEMBERSHIP (choose “paid up”) to all. Other ways to support our mission include making a financial donation or purchasing a beautiful enamel badge celebrating our 25th anniversary (see below).
Will you be our newest Friend?

Friends CIC 25th Anniversary Badge
For general practitioners and all clinicians who do support integrative care for patients, we say THANK YOU. Please consider supporting our cause by:

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