Dr Everington is a doctor at the politicians’ favourite, the Bromley by Bow Centre, as well as being a ‘professional member’ of the College of Medicine. It’s interesting to note the links with his practice, which is noted on their website as covering a very deprived area of London, and the ‘Inside Out Health and Wellbeing Ltd‘ company. His practice refers to this organisation, which is held on the same site, and nis where you can pay £50 for homeopathy or kinesiology (which will apparently find ‘chemical and nutritional imbalances in the body’) , or £35 for reflexology. You can even get a ‘facial’ for £20 – and I’m not making this up – I quote: ‘The benefits of the facial are not only surface in giving cleanse, tone and moisture to the skin, but a deeper level of harmony in a lymphatic massage with crystal wands and healing pressure point meridian touch. Natria are a superb range of natural holistic products of the highest calibre developed and blended over thirty years by Nature’s Sunshine. ‘ Their banner is ‘we believe that by using health as a tool we can inspire people to be the best they can be.’
Ithink health is less of a tool, and more of an essential -and this stuff is not something I’d want my GP recommending.
Margaret
I am in awe of the wonderful, scientific brains of the medical profession – but as an arsehole of a doctor once told me – “Doctors are human too(!) “- ( in an effort to explain his failings) – and I do realise that doctors are human too!
All of us have the potential to be bought and sold and it would appear that Dr Sam Everington slips easy into this catagory. I just hopes he sleeps well at night when he tots up the sums for his facials and reflexology – but he will!
Health isn’t a tool – it is something we aspire to, yet we wont necessarily follow the right path to achieve it; for patients are human too!
Anna :o]
I should say that I have no evidence that the doctors directly benefit from referrals being made to the Inside Out Ltd company. They do though say that referrals to them is part of ‘our services’ – cut and paste –
” Our services
Breast checks see UK Cancer charity site
Cervical smears see UK Cancer charity site
Child health care advice about children’s health
Counselling and referrals to mental health services
Family Planning
Maternity care maternity advice from the National Childbirth Trust
Well Person check – more about Health & Well-being
Chronic Disease Management including Asthma, Diabetes
Dietry advice
Advice and help with Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol
Immunisations & Travel information
In-house phlebotomy, spirometry and ECG services
Referrals to InsideOut Health and Well Being Ltd”
There is plenty of credible scientific evidence to show that for some conditions – notably depression and anxiety – massage can be effective in relieving symptoms. (See the Miami Touch Research Institute for details http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research) It can also be effective in helping people with PTSD to manage the physical symptoms of their condition and for those suffering from eating disorders can help to shift fixed ideas about body image. However, the perception is that massage is an indulgence and that it carries no health benefits, whether physical or psychological. It is therefore extremely frustrating to see homeopathy and reflexology being promoted by a GP practice when the evidence to support using either as anything more than a tool for relaxation is non-existent.