Every three to five years, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB review its clinical policies to ensure they reflect the latest evidence-based guidance and best practice. We are currently reviewing the following policies and would welcome your views on the proposed changes.
Please share your feedback by completing the short questionnaireComplementary and alternative therapies are health care approaches that are not typically part of conventional medical care. Complementary therapies are used alongside conventional medicine, while alternative therapies are used in place of conventional medicine.
The previous policy only commissioned (paid for) therapies where there was clear evidence of effectiveness and not as standalone treatments. The new policy adds a requirement that any complementary or alternative therapy is delivered by a therapist who is registered with a statutory regulatory body.
Requiring statutory regulation may exclude practitioners in therapies where regulation is voluntary or not well established.
The new wording of this policy is:
1. The ICB will commission complementary and alternative therapies when:
a. There is robust evidence of clinical and cost effectiveness in relation to the specific clinical indication. This may be evidenced by a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendation that the therapy be offered by the NHS. Where an intervention is offered based on a recommendation by NICE, the NICE guidance should be followed.
AND
b. They are delivered by an agreed NHS provider as part of an existing NHS pathway of care (e.g. as part of end-of-life care; pain management; musculoskeletal services).
AND
c. The training and practice of the therapist is regulated by a statutory regulatory body.
2. The ICB will not commission complementary and alternative therapies as “stand alone” treatments either within or outside of the NHS.
Scope and definitions:
This policy addresses a wide range of healthcare services that are often regarded as being outside the scope of conventional medical practice and are often used alongside or instead of standard treatment. Such therapies tend to be non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical, and they often take a holistic approach to the patient.
The scope of this policy includes requests for:
1. Professionally organised alternative therapies
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic
- Herbal medicine
- Homeopathy
- Osteopathy
2 Complementary therapies
- Alexander Technique
- Yoga
- Aromatherapy
- Bach and other flower remedies
- Maharishi Ayurvedic Medicine
- Meditation
- Reflexology
- Shiatsu
- Nutritional medicine
- Hypnotherapy
- Shiatsu Body work therapies, including massage
- Healing
- Counselling stress therapy
3. Alternative disciplines.
- Anthroposophical medicine
- Ayurvedic medicine
- Chinese herbal medicine
- Eastern medicine
- Naturopathy
- Traditional Chinese medicine
- Crystal therapy
- Dowsing
- Iridology
- Kinesiology
- Radionics
This policy’s principles may be applied to other therapies with similar characteristics that are considered ‘alternative’ or ‘complementary’.
Please note this survey closes at midnight on Friday 26 December 2025.