Availability of complementary and alternative medicine for people with cancer in the British National Health Service: results of a national survey
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language: cancer pain, explained
This study assessed access to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies for people with cancer within the British National Health Service. CAM units were identified through an internet search in 2009. A total of 142 units, providing 62 different therapies, were identified: 105 (74.0%) England; 23 (16.2%) Scotland; 7 (4.9%) each in Wales and Northern Ireland. Most units provide a small number of therapies (median 4, range 1-20), and focus on complementary, rather than alternative approaches. Counselling is the most widely provided therapy (available at 82.4% of identified units), followed by reflexology (62.0%), aromatherapy (59.1%), reiki (43.0%), massage (42.2%). CAM units per million of the population varied between countries (England: 2.2; Wales: 2.3; Scotland: 4.8; Northern Ireland: 5.0), and within countries. Better publicity for CAM units, greater integration of units in conventional cancer treatment centres may help improve access to CAMs.
Key Findings: what this observational study found about cancer pain
- ✓Reflexology was the second most widely available CAM therapy in British NHS cancer units, offered at 62.0% of the 142 identified units.
- ✓Access to CAM therapies for cancer patients varied significantly across the UK, with Scotland and Northern Ireland having higher CAM units per million population (4.8 and 5.0 respectively) compared to England (2.2) and Wales (2.3).
- ✓Most NHS CAM units provided complementary rather than alternative approaches, with counselling being the most available therapy at 82.4% of units, followed by reflexology, aromatherapy, reiki, and massage.
What This Means for You
If you're a cancer patient in the UK seeking reflexology, availability varies greatly by region—reflexology is offered at about 6 in 10 CAM units—but better promotion and integration with cancer centers could improve access.
What This Means for Practitioners
Reflexology practitioners working with cancer patients should advocate for greater integration and visibility of CAM services within conventional cancer treatment centers to improve patient access and referral pathways.
Study Design: how this observational study was run
Cancer pain: common questions
What does this study say about cancer pain?
If you're a cancer patient in the UK seeking reflexology, availability varies greatly by region—reflexology is offered at about 6 in 10 CAM units—but better promotion and integration with cancer centers could improve access.
What did this study find?
Reflexology was the second most widely available CAM therapy in British NHS cancer units, offered at 62.0% of the 142 identified units. Access to CAM therapies for cancer patients varied significantly across the UK, with Scotland and Northern Ireland having higher CAM units per million population (4.8 and 5.0 respectively) compared to England (2.2) and Wales (2.3). Most NHS CAM units provided complementary rather than alternative approaches, with counselling being the most available therapy at 82.4% of units, followed by reflexology, aromatherapy, reiki, and massage.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a observational study and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 142 participants. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
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