Before the introduction of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, the provision
of primary medical care in the United Kingdom was uneven.
Whilst the first synthetic chemical drug, Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) had been manufactured
by Bayer in Germany as early as 1899,
many people still relied on medical practices based on the use of herbs. Many
such preparations being based on the Herbal Pharmacopeia of Dioscorides, published in 55AD.
Today, over 60 years after the formation of the NHS, it is still seen as meeting only
some of the needs of the population and research is quoted as having shown that 3 in 5 people have utilised other forms of
healthcare outside of the NHS’s allopathic approach.
There is, however, a growing consensus that both complementary
techniques and allopathic medicine can be combined to great effect. The H Club is actively involved in promoting knowledge and delivering
complementary therapies in the community and assisting individuals to make an informed choice with regard to integrated healthcare.
