Integrated Healthcare Collaborative
Bringing together professional associations and stakeholders within complementary, traditional and natural healthcare​
Working together to improve healthcare
The Integrated Healthcare Collaborative (IHC) is a collection of leading professional associations and stakeholders within complementary, traditional and natural healthcare, working together on common areas of interest, to increase access to these therapies, promote greater integration with conventional Western medicine, and improve patient outcomes.
What is integrated healthcare?
"Integrated healthcare combines the best of conventional medicine with complementary therapies, traditional medicines and natural approaches in a co-ordinated, patient-centred way. It aims to address the mental, physical and emotional needs of patients by employing an individualised, whole-person approach that focuses on health and wellbeing rather than disease and treatment."
Who are we?
The IHC brings together the following leading organisations, who are Core Members and lead our work.
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Alliance of Registered Homeopaths (ARH)
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Association of Energy Therapists (AET)
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Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (ANP)
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Association of Reflexologists (AoR)
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Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (ATCM)
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British Complementary Medicine Association (BCMA)
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British Reflexology Association (BRA)
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Chinese Medical Institute and Register (CMIR)
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Craniosacral Therapy Association (CSTA)
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General Council and Register of Naturopaths (GCRN)
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Faculty of Homeopathy (FoH)
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International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA)
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International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA)
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Kinesiology Federation (KF)
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McTimoney Chiropractic Association (MCA)
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National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH)
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Shiatsu Society UK (SSUK)
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Society of Homeopaths (SoH)
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Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT)
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UK Reiki Federation (UKRF)
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We are supported by our valued Associate Members, below, whose expertise and contribution helps us take forward our integrated healthcare agenda.
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Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
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Homeopathy Action Trust
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Homeopathy UK
Meet our members
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We believe that the IHC is the largest collaboration of key organisations in the field of complementary, traditional and natural healthcare anywhere in the world.
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At the heart of our work is the knowledge and expertise of our member organisations, who represent the very best in the field.
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As part of our ongoing work to improve healthcare, and take the field forward, we want to introduce you to our members, and get an insight into them and what they do.
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We will, therefore, be featuring each of our member organisations in turn on our homepage. Whether you are a patient, therapist, or other stakeholder, take a look at our feature videos, and get a flavour for all organisations which make up the IHC.
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Introducing to you, the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT).
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For more information about the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique and its work, follow the link below for all the information you need.
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Why we formed?
In December 2018, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Integrated Healthcare published a report entitled "Integrated Healthcare: Putting the pieces together".
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One of the key recommendations in the report was that "professional associations representing complementary, traditional and natural healthcare should work more closely together on common issues, to share knowledge and experience. A formal collaborative should be established which brings together major associations to take the field forward collectively."
It is from this that the IHC was formed, with the aim of achieving better health outcomes through greater integration of healthcare services.
The IHC builds on over 30 years of work and collaboration between the former All-Party Parliamentary Group for Integrated Healthcare and the leading organisations in the field.
Survey of Practitioners
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The largest known survey was carried out by the IHC in October and November 2022 of our sector post Covid and during a cost of living crisis.
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The results gave a valuable insight into current working practises and challenges facing therapists and practitioners across the sector.
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Take a look at some of the key findings.
Sustainable Healthcare
Kind to your body and the environment
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The IHC and its member organisations have produced a simple self-help guide for patients as part of its work on Sustainable Healthcare.
Our cost of living survey highlighted an increasing number of patients presenting with mental health related issues, especially anxiety and stress. As such, our hints and tips are things you can try at home, at little to no cost, which may support your mental health and wellbeing. We hope you find them helpful.
Complementary, traditional and natural healthcare therapies are kind to your body and the environment, and can play an important role in moving towards a more sustainable system of healthcare.
If you prefer to visit a registered practitioner, please visit the websites of our member organisations.
Testimonials
“We believe that homeopathy and other complementary therapies should be fully integrated into the NHS. This Collaborative encourages organisations to work together to improve patient care and access to services, and should be supported.”
Cristal Skaling-Klopstock
Former CEO, Homeopathy UK
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“The Integrated Healthcare Collaborative will play a key role in bringing organisations together. It is vital for the CAM community to speak with a unified and strong voice.”
David Tredinnick
Former MP and Chair of APPG for Integrated Healthcare
Latest News
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IHC urges people to take action on stress
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April 6th is Sustainable Healthcare Day. This year, our focus is stress and stress related illnesses. Stress is one of the great public health challenges of our time. For too many of us, it is a common and regular occurrence. 74% of UK adults say that have felt so stressed at some point over the last year they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.
Stress will always exist, and affects most of us from time to time. However, with greater awareness, we can help to prevent it, or at least manage it and prevent it from becoming chronic, which can lead to a range of other mental health conditions. It is also linked to physical health conditions like heart disease, problems with our immune system, insomnia and digestive problems. These conditions are harder to deal with, affect people’s lives, and costs the NHS huge amounts of money.
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