Barrier breaker

BREAKING down the barriers between conventional and complementary medicine is a tough job - but Catherine Humphrys relishes the challenge.

The Southampton massage therapist has been chosen to present a new television series aimed at persuading GPs across the UK to consider the benefits of treatments that lie outside the medical mainstream.

The first episode of Complementary Alternatives will be broadcast on the Medical Channel next week, through Sky Digital.

Catherine, 31, said: "Research has shown that many GPs want more information about complementary therapies.

"There are so many people coming into their surgeries and asking for an alternative to prozac or for different ways of treating back pain.

"The general public is much more demanding and knowledgeable than in the past."

The show will feature 12 therapies - acupuncture, osteopathy, chiropractic, massage, reflexology, healing, Chinese and western herbalism, iridology, aromatherapy, nutritional therapy, homeopathy and hypnotherapy.

The six shows will also discuss related issues, including regulation, insurance, training and the medico-legal situation. Any GP in the country can be connected to the channel, free of charge.

Catherine, who works at the City Osteopathic Clinic in Southampton as a reflexologist and massage therapist, said making the programmes was a great opportunity for her to learn about new treatments.

She added: "The most dramatic results we saw were with the Chinese herbalist.

"We interviewed a woman who had suffered with pretty bad eczema for about ten years. She had been prescribed things like steroid creams, but it was not working and she was really at the end of her tether.

"She was treated and almost overnight the eczema stopped itching and, within a few months, most of the affected area had cleared up completely."

A criticism sometimes levelled at complementary medicine, often by GPs, is that it is not backed up by scientific proof.

But Catherine explained many of the treatments have performed well in clinical trials.

"Homeopathy and herbal therapies have been tested very thoroughly because they come in pill form, so it's easy to arrange a trial with a placebo.

"It's obviously much more difficult to test hands-on treatments, but few would doubt the health benefits of massage."

When Catherine first started working in Southampton she wrote to every GP to introduce herself and invite them to learn about her treatments and qualifications, but didn't get a single reply.

"Now some of my patients say 'my GP recommended massage' but that they were not referred to a particular therapist.

"It would be much better for GPs to find out about the therapists in their area, so that they can recommend people with proper training and insurance.

"Hopefully as more information becomes available, doctors will open their minds to the benefits of complementary therapies. I would love one of the GPs to just give me a call and say 'let's have a chat about what you do and how it could benefit my patients'".

Catherine is no stranger to broadcasting - her father is BBC journalist John Humphrys - but the family link brings its own pressure.

"He's kept out of the way so far, but I suspect he will be quite critical. I'm sure he'll want to give me some advice when he sees the shows.

"He has already taught me a really useful earpiece technique. You basically read the script onto a very small tape recorder and repeat it one or two seconds after the words go into your head.

"It doesn't work for everyone, but I picked it up quite well."

*Anyone wishing to receive the Medical Channel should call 020 8943 1133. All GPs can have the channel set up for free, either at their surgery or at home. All they need is a television and a TV licence.

*To contact Catherine for treatment at the City Osteopathic Clinic call 023 8023 4080.