Location of acupuncture treatment provision

Of the 169 GPs arranging acupuncture treatment for their patients, 160 provided details of where it was administered. It was reported to be provided mainly within an orthodox healthcare setting such as the GPs’ own surgeries (48%), in pain clinics (23% ), physiotherapy departments (16%) and other NHS surgeries, clinics or non-homoeopathic hospitals (23%). Very few doctors arranged treatment at private homoeopathic clinics or hospitals (11%), NHS homoeopathic clinics or hospitals (4%), or in hospices (3%).

acupuncture

 Figure 1: Percentage of GPs arranging specific CAM therapies for their patients (n = 358, no replies = 7 / 365) 

Conditions treated
Of the 169 GPs who reported arranging acupuncture treatment for their patients, 161 gave details of which medical conditions they did so for, shown in Figure 2. Pain relief and musculoskeletal disorders were the most frequently cited. Miscellaneous conditions which GPs treated using acupuncture included recurrent urinary infections, drug withdrawal, migraine, Bell’s Palsy, hayfever and phantom limb syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, anosmia (loss of sense of smell), and morning sickness.

acupuncture1

Figure 2: Percentage of GPs arranging acupuncture treatment for different conditions (n=161, no replies=8/169)