ACADEMY PUBLIC POLICIES

If I go as a private patient from the start of my treatment, will I get better care and a better range of treatment choices?

Generally you will get equally good treatment and care within the NHS. In some regional cancer centers you may find a wider range of NHS services than are available privately.

We will try to answer some of the most common questions people with breast cancer ask about the use of complementary therapies, and explains some of the therapies in a little more detail.

Please remember that there is no reliable scientific evidence to show that any of the therapies listed can either cure breast cancer or control it. Having said that, many people find that using them helps them to improve their ‘quality of life’, that is their physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological well-being.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a treatment that has been practised for several thousand years. In China it is a standard form of medical treatment. The key principles behind it are:

• We all have a vital energy called Ch’i flowing throughout our bodies along pathways called meridians;

What is art therapy?

Art therapy began in both England and America in the 1940s. It is now an established profession in many countries, with a recognised place in the process of healing. As part of the art therapy process, art materials (for example paints, clay and batik) are used to express your thoughts and feelings without words.