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Homeopathy call ducked

By Ben Gillman

Health minister Anne Milton has ducked a call for the Government to tell PCTs to fund homeopathy.

In a parliamentary debate, Conservative MP David Tredinnick called for her to issue a directive to PCTs to fund homeopathy if GPs request it, but was told it was not up to her to decide.

Mr Tredinnick said: 'It would be enormously helpful if the Department were to issue a circular to PCTs saying that it is not against these therapies and it is up to doctors to decide whether or not they can be used, that it has no bias against them and that it is leaving it to the clinicians to decide whether or not they wish referrals to be made to PCTs and on to hospitals.

'It would be very helpful if she could consider issuing a direction saying, "It's over to you. We are not objecting to this",' he said.

Ms Milton thanked him for his answer, but replied: 'As the new Minister in this post, I am hesitant to commit to things that I feel might be above my pay grade… Because that sort of thing is, in general, a career limiting move.'