Musculoskeletal Health: Chiropractors Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Burt of Solihull
Main Page: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Burt of Solihull's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(1 day, 12 hours ago)
Lords ChamberMy Lords, 30% of GP consultations are for people with musculoskeletal problems. As a previous back sufferer who has made use of chiropractors in the past, I know personally the transformation that chiropractic treatment can achieve. I can afford that treatment, but many NHS patients cannot, so why can chiropractors not practise across the NHS, when waiting lists for treatment on the NHS are causing the loss of over 6 million working days every year?
The noble Baroness is absolutely right to highlight the extent of the impact of MSK conditions not just on individuals but on our economy and our health service. However, to extend my earlier comments, chiropractic care is regarded as being in the category of complementary and alternative medicines. Some treatments have an evidence base that is not recognised by the majority of independent scientists, whereas others have been proven to work for a limited number of conditions. I appreciate the point that the noble Baroness is making, but probably the simplest way I would wrap it up is in talking of sufficient and reliable evidence, because that is what NHS commissioning at a national level is based upon.