Choosing a complementary therapist

If you are considering using complementary therapies, the following suggestions may help you:

• Talk it over with your doctor or nurse and ask for their advice, especially if you are going to have a therapy which involves taking pills or medicines.

• Ask your doctor or nurse if there are complementary therapies available at your hospital, or through your GP's practice, or if they can recommend any therapies or practitioners.

• Always use a qualified therapist who belongs to a professional body. Complementary therapy organisations can give you names of registered therapists and advice on what to look for.

• Ask the organisation what level of qualification and training practitioners must have before they are allowed to register.

• Check if the organisation has a code of practice and ethics, and also a disciplinary and complaints procedure (the better complementary organisations will have this).

• Check the cost of treatment beforehand to make sure you are being fairly charged. Complementary therapy organisations should be able to give you an idea of what is usual. Therapies can be very expensive but some complementary therapies are provided free of charge by the NHS. Some meditation or relaxation organisations provide free sessions. Many yoga classes are reasonably priced.

• Ask the practitioner how many years of training they've had and how long they've been practising.

• Ask if they have indemnity insurance (in case of negligence).

• Don't be misled by promises of cures. No reputable therapist would claim to be able to cure cancer.

• Choose the complementary therapy that suits your individual needs. If you are not sure and would like to know what other patients have found helpful, contact a patient support group. Support groups often offer complementary therapies.