News Update

WORLDMED'96 THE WORLD CONGRESS ON COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE. WASHINGTON DC, USA. 24-26 May 1996

The Worldmed Congress held in Washington DC on 24-26 May 1996 was attended by well over 400 delegates from around the world. The Congress was organized by Churchill Livingstone and, whilst giving the impression from the title that it was orientated towards medical per- sonnel, there were a wide range of presen- ters from varying disciplines. Topics included bioenergetic systems, mind/body medicine, psychoneuroimmunology, and issues concerning how to successfully inte- grate such approaches within current health care systems. The keynote speech was given by C Everett Koop who was US Surgeon General 1981-1989. Professor Koop called for greater integration within health care and highlighted the potential value, both to individuals and the health care economy, of the integration of comple- mentary and allopathic health care systems.

Interestingly, it was noticeable that the majority of the UK presenters were nurses - myself, Caroline Stevensen, Steve Wright and Jean Sayre-Adams. This was most grat- ifying and important if we are to foster inter-disciplinary professional care. Indeed multi-disciplinary conferences break down the perceptual barriers one often encounters between groups of health care profession- als. In particular, they highlight the fact that there is a growing trend across medicine, nursing, and other disciplines, to promote individualized care and integrate the best of allopathic and complementary medicine within daily care.

Many of the medical practitioners I met were not only committed to improving health care but had made concerted efforts to pro- mote more balanced systems of caring and to physically change the environment in which care occurred. This was highlighted by Dr Steven Horovich who spoke of the Planetree Project in New York and the expansion of this project into other states in an attempt to provide truly integrated health care.

The issue of values was the focus of a whole day at the Congress. This formed a conference within a conference and addressed the questions: 'What exactly are we trying to do in complementary medicine?' and 'How do we want health care to look in the next millennium?' I was delighted to be asked to participate in these sessions and to highlight UK developments.

The topic generated a lot of discussion and highlighted similar value systems and com- mitments by health care workers across the world to provide alternative care for people.

Whilst one often has to make decisions about which conference will most benefit us and our work, I do think there is a strong case for nurses and midwives to present and attend conferences which appear to have a medical orientation. Not least because many medical practitioners share the same goals as nurses and so there is an opportu- nity to discuss common pathways to those goals and to work together towards resolv- ing problems and challenges encountered along the way. This was a most interesting conference - and perhaps one we should replicate in the UK in the near future.

Denise Rankin-Box Editor

COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH FIRSTS AT WESTMINSTER

The University of Westminster has launched the UK's first full-time under- graduate degrees in acupuncture and homoeopathy. Another new degree in com- plementary therapies is the first in the south of England.

Starting in September, the BSc honours degrees share a foundation based on health sciences, and the development of practi- tioner skills and research methods. They strengthen Westminster's reputation as one of Europe's leading providers of courses in complementary and holistic education.

'The acupuncture and homoeopathy pathways have been designed to ensure that graduates develop into competent practi- tioners and are able to work effectively with other health professionals and comple- mentary therapists', said course scheme leader Dr Brian Isbell, Director of Health Sciences (Natural Therapies) and the Uni- versity's Centre for Community Care and Primary Health (CCCPH).

Students on the complementary thera- pies course will be able to choose from a wide range of options, including nutritional therapy, aromatherapy, reflexology, herbal medicine, bodywork, and naturopathy.

'We've already had a great many en- quiries for these courses. More and more peo- ple are becoming interested in complemen- tary therapies and this is being refected in the number wanting to train as practitioners.'

The acupuncture degree is being offered in collaboration with the London School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Med- icine. Homoeopathy is offered in conjunc- tion with the London College of Classical Homoeopathy.

Fees for the three-year full-time path- ways are: Complementary Therapy - home students will be eligible for full mandatory

awards; Homoeopathy - s (in- cludes additional costs to fulfil requirement to practise); Acupuncture - s p.a. Con- tact the CCCPH on 0171 255 3550 for more information.

TEXTBOOK ON HERBAL MEDICINE

The Pharmaceutical Press which publishes Martindales, a well recognized textbook on drugs, has now introduced the book Herbal Medicine (s This is a 300 page vol- ume on herbal medicine to be used as a guide for doctors and health care workers. It covers medical and culinary uses and interaction with drugs. This could be a valuable text for people wishing to consider the use of herbal medicine in health care.

RCN COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FORUM

North West Thames Regional Networkers would like to hear from other members of the Forum with a view to discussing and exchanging ideas, forming a support group, and putting together suggestions for a study day. Contact: Kim Smith, 29 Vicarage Lane, Kings Langley, Herts WD4 9HS, UK or Vicki Faiers, Kelvedon, Bossington Lane, Linslade, Beds LV7 7TE, UK.

Events Guide ABRACADABRA: THE MAGIC OF MEDICINE. LONDON, UK. 21 JUNE-26 OCTOBER 1996

An exhibition at The Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine. Wellcome Build- ing, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE.

Further information: +44 (0) 171 6117211.

EMOTIONAL MEDICINE. LONDON, UK. FROM I AUGUST 1996

Golden Square Bookshop, Picadilly Circus, London. A series of public talks and workshops with therapists and scien- tists to explore emotional health. Organized by Quinetics International. Topics include: computer simulation of emotions with Professor Aaron Sloman, Birmingham University; self-esteem and emotional development with Dr Barry Keverne, Animal Behaviourist, Cambridge University; sensory fusion (synaesthesia) and emotional response with Dr John Harrison, Cambridge University.

Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery (I 996) 2, I 16- I i 8 �9 1996 Pearson Professional Ltd