Longer working lives may result in complementary therapy rise

Working longer in life may cause an increase in demand for complementary therapies, latest research by health plan provider HSA has revealed.

This is the belief of 76% of respondents to a recent study undertaken by HSA into the perceptions of over 1,000 individuals with regards to complementary therapies now and with regards to the future.

Suzanne Clarkson, a spokesperson for HSA explains: “An increase in demand for complementary therapies could put a definite strain on the NHS to provide these services especially as 30% of visits to GPs are for musculoskeletal disorders. We believe that this will lead to individuals looking more and more at ways to privately finance these types of treatment. Accessing complementary therapies, such as physiotherapy, homeopathy, chiropractic or acupuncture, through a health plan like those available from HSA, provides people with an alternative route to receiving treatment to help relieve pain and injury through quick and affordable means.”

HSA has also today revealed that:

Physiotherapy is the most used complementary therapy (40%), with homeopathy being the least (11%)

Physiotherapy is seen as the most effective complementary therapy (64%) whereas homeopathy is seen as the least (20%)

78% of people believe that one or more complementary therapies are effective

83% of people in the North of England have faith in at least 1 complementary therapy, compared to 76% of people in the South

Between January 2005 and January 2006, HSA received 801,460 claims from members on physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture and homeopathy