To not want to see a GP who had a qualification in Homeopathy?

[cordiality]

I've been offered an appointment with a newnGP at my surgery instead of my usual one, 'as she's a woman' (not that I requested that, but that's another issue entirely!)

I looked her up on their website and, among other specialities, she is a qualified homeopathic practioner.

Am I BU to think that you either practice mainstream medicine or homeopathy (which I, possibly wrongly, consider as being a bit 'woo') and to think that she's not the sort of doctor I would want to see?

Am perfectly open to being told I'm wrong by the way!

bugger, too jmuch wine

Why don't you meet her before you judge whether she's sensible or not?

One of the GP's at our surgery practices acupuncture and acupressure and she's utterly fab, both with mainstream medical stuff and more alternative things. She is a very experienced GP, nearly at retirement age so only works part time now and it's really hard to get appts with as she's so in demand.

I'd keep the appt with her and see what she's like. You might find she's great and it would be a shame to miss out on getting great care. If she turns out to be rubbish then complain and ask to see someone else. Why judge before you've even met her?

If someone believes in homeopathy, you can be pretty sure they aren't sensible without meeting them!

Though possibly she just uses homeopathy to get rid of malingerers and hypochondriacs.

I wouldn't come to the same conclusion Rita.

I've been thinking about this since posting earlier.

Perhaps she had patients asking for homeopathic treatments and thought that she should get some sort of certificate or training as there was such a demand for it?

Yanbu. If she has training in a scientific evidence based discipline like medicine then she knows that homeopathy is rubbish. I wouldn't be happy seeing anyone who is comfortable treating anyone with remedies she knows to be rubbish.

The "as she's a woman" thing is also a bit weird.

I'm afraid the 'qualification' (does it comes with ToyTown University printed on the back?) means the doctor is either deluded or dishonest. I wouldn't trust them to make the right medical decisions.

YADNBU - there is piss all evidence for homeopathy and I wouldn't trust a GP who would think about offering evidence based medicine and water as equal choices.

Equating homeopathy and acupuncture as being equivalent alternative treatments is doing acupuncture a disservice. There is evidence for acupuncture as a treatment modality, and I wouldn't hesitate to offer it to patients. Homeopathy on the other hand is a load of hooey at best and a dangerous Rx at worst.

My very brilliant cancer surgeon suddenly told me that she thought cancer was caused by polyester clothes. She is still a bloody great surgeon though and I am trying very hard to forget the polyester thing ever happened.

Give her a try - if she is a complete fruitloop then reassess.

I've worked in a pharmacy that dispenses homeopathic meds and they are definitely not cheap! A 100ml bottle of drops (alcohol) costs the nhs about £35 then the nhs has to pay for the postage for it to be delivered to the pharmacy (about £5). If different drops are mixed or you make up a mixture then the pharmacy can claim more money, it's crazy.
There's a reason why homeopathy isn't recommended for life threatening illnesses like malaria and asthma. IT DOESN'T WORK!

Oh and I had a friend who worked at weleda (homeopathic med manufacturer), she said there were certain times of the day they couldn't do the solutions because the moon was in the wrong alignment. I kid you not!!!

Solutions= dilutions

Irrespective of how effective placebos can be there are good reasons why GPs aren't allowed to prescribe sugar pills anymore - surely the same should apply to homeopathy! Plus I'm quite and if what 1gglePiggle says about costs to the NHS are true!

I think you should wait until you have met her. If she tries to impose homeopathy on you then I would be worried but if she treats you the way other doctors do then I wouldn't IYSWIM.

The concern isn't about whether the GP will push homeopathy - it's that the judgement of someone whose head is full of magic and woo isn't very reliable. How can you trust anything she comes out with?

Afraid it is true Ignoring! Definitely shouldn't be allowed in nhs when life saving proven cancer treatments aren't. I get annoyed with prescriptions for boxes of choc chip cookies for coeliac patients too, I mean are cookies really vital food?! Anyway I'm going off topic.

This gp may be fine and just trained in homeopathy to supply a demand. However I'll never forget some poor baby with severe impetigo all over his face come in with a prescription for homeopathic drops. I knew they would not work. Needless to say a few days later his mum came back with a script for fucidin and the drops were disposed of. Fucidin far cheaper than the drops but worst of all that poor baby had to suffer in the meantime.

Maybe she has this homeopathic qualification i. to know her enemy so to speak and ii. to encourage visits from those who embrace homeopathy?

Meet her and talk to her before you make up your mind.

YABU but i believe that traditional medicine and alternative therapies can work well together. taking herbs for cancer is not going to do anything but for minor things or side effects it can help.

But it's not taking herbs is it? It's taking water.

I do believe in alternative medicines - acupuncture is very effective as is some herbal remedies such as St Johns wort etc. BUT homeopathy is bull and as well as being ineffective is bloody expensive and most practitioners seem to advise taking their remedies to the exclusion of all traditional treatments.

YANBU definitely - I keep meeting GPs like this too and it's really making me question the science element of medical training. Is there any?

:o at 1gglepiggle. That is so true, I never cease to be astounded at some of the stuff that the NHS funds whilst not funding others.

I think that as long as patient is assessed and diagnosed using evidence based techniques, given full information on all treatment options and makes an informed decision it is fine. Have known several dual-qualified GPs and all were excellent, often more in demand than their colleagues.

Complementary training may benefit practitioners by encouraging new viewpoints, surely even those people who hate homeopathy would not complain at a GP having a holistic approach. IMO the best practitioners are those who keep learning and broadening their experiences (within reason of course!)

"I wouldn't want to be treated by someone who believes in magic water."
Couldn't have put it better myself - exactly how I feel :o

I am not a homeopath and would never ever in a million years recommend it over conventional treatment but am shocked at how closed minded some posters are.

Some patients like homeopathy and are entitled to their right to choice just as you are. How do you think discoveries are ever made? Not by everybody sitting back and being told that anything other than the established wisdom is rubbish, that's for sure.

I once saw a GP who was also qualified in nutrition and recommended some dietary adjustments and supplements, and some reading material for me. It helped me feel I could have an impact on my current illness rather than just taking the tablets as directed.

Surely the nub of the matter is the patient being fully informed.

But you don't know that the g.p. actually believes in the magic water... .. .. . . . . ......