The Faculty's New President Looks to a Positive and Exciting Future
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Celebrating 175 years The Faculty of Homeopathy Newsletter May 2019 The Faculty’s new president looks to a positive and exciting future r Gary Smyth is the Faculty of Homeopathy’s new president. DHe officially took office in March, after being elected unopposed to lead the organisation for the next three years. Dr Smyth had been acting president since last August, when he took on the presidential duties and responsibilities following the tragic death of his predecessor Dr Peter Fisher. Dr Patricia Ridsdale (vice president), In his acceptance speech at Dr Gary Smyth (president) and the faculties AGM, he said he was Dr Sara Eames (operations manager). delighted and honoured to become the st Faculty’s 81 president and thanked and private general practice, and Since then homeopathy has become everyone who had supported and working as a homeopathic physician integral to Dr Smyth’s professional encouraged him in his efforts so far. in Belfast. In addition, he teaches life: as a clinician, teacher and as an He continued: “As a community we homeopathy to medical students at organiser both within the Faculty and have experienced enormous changes the city’s Queen’s University and on the wider homeopathic community. over the past few years. Now in our Faculty courses. th Vice-president 175 year, it is a good opportunity for Dr Smyth joined the Faculty in Supporting Dr Smyth will be the us to reflect on what is going well and 2007 but his interest in homeopathy Faculty’s new vice-president, Dr Patricia on areas where we could improve. I dates back to his childhood. Ridsdale. Dr Ridsdale has been a GP in look forward to hearing the views of “When I was a child, my parents our members as to how they would took me to see a homeopath who the Basingstoke area for 25 years and like the Faculty to develop in future. treated me for some minor health also practises as a homeopathic We have a tremendous heritage upon issues,” he said. “At medical school I physician at various locations for the which to build and with increasing became increasingly curious about Natural Practice. She has served on the patient demand for homeopathy, homeopathy, a curiosity fuelled by my Faculty council for number of years as coupled with an enthusiastic teachers’ hostility towards this system the membership convener, a role that membership, we have every reason of medicine, despite many patients she will continue to perform for the to be optimistic. I look forward to clearly demonstrating improvements time being. working with all of our members and with homeopathic treatment. A change to the Faculty’s to exciting and positive times ahead.” “As a young doctor the limitations management structure was also Clinician, teacher, organiser of the conventional medical paradigm announced at the AGM. Following the Dr Smyth studied medicine at the were becoming increasingly obvious departure of chief executive Greg White, University of Dundee Medical School, and I gradually developed an interest Dr Sara Eames has been appointed graduating in 1999. He then spent in whole person medicine, holistic operations manager to oversee the several years working within primary health and well-being. This led to me day-to-day running of Faculty business. and secondary care, before qualifying enrolling on an introductory course In her new role Dr Eames will work as a GP in 2008. in homeopathy in Glasgow, where I closely with Faculty staff and the council At present he works as a “Portfolio discovered a way to integrate both the to ensure members continue to receive GP”, splitting his time between NHS art and science of medicine.” an efficient and professional service. EDITORIAL t the time of writing this Having said that, at the grand old Dr Gary Smyth editorial, I’m making last age of 175 years, it makes sense that Aminute preparations before we pause to reflect on exactly how visiting New Delhi for World we would like our organisation to go Homeopathy Day on 10 April. To forward into the future. I would like mark our 175th anniversary, we will to invite all Faculty members to share be celebrating the importance of their ideas and views regarding this. integrating the themes of education, We are forming several “Working research and clinical practice. The Groups” in order to support the work Faculty has been engaged in these of the Faculty. These groups will focus three areas of work for many years, but on Membership, Finance, Education, is seeking a more international stance Journal and Communications, and for our future development. Events. The Faculty already has many If you have a specific interest or international members and teaching skill in any of these areas, now is the centres. Furthermore, many UK time to get involved, as we need the colleagues travel widely to teach skills of individual members in order and visit practitioners abroad. And to help us all move forward. If you are increasing global collaboration is more interested in helping with any of these important than ever before, not least Working Groups, please get in contact. given the unknown implications from Finally, it was great to see everyone the UK’s departure from the European who attended the Annual General Union. Increasing our international than ever before, and homeopathy has Meeting in London in March, when I links will bring many mutual benefits never been more widely discussed. was appointed president of the Faculty and the Faculty is well placed to grow Our pharmacy colleagues report that for the next three years. I intend to these collaborations in future. sales of homeopathic medicines have work closely with the Faculty council After a truly international congress increased and many members are and the wider membership, and look in 2018, I have been pleased to treating more patients than in the past. forward to exciting and positive times welcome a number of international But what is clear is that the way ahead. colleagues who have joined as we’ve practised homeopathy in the The involvement and views of all Affiliates of the Faculty. There are signs past is not necessarily how we’ll Faculty members is vitally important that a number of other practitioners practise it in the future. Although the in order to carve out our shared future see the value of being affiliated with Faculty will continue campaigning together and ensure that we deliver on the Faculty. If you have any friends for NHS funding for homeopathy, I our mission statement: “To promote or colleagues who are eligible to be am greatly encouraged by the network and support the highest standards affiliated with us, please do encourage of charitable clinics which are being of practice, education and research them to get in contact. established across the country by in homeopathy.” Please join the However, while we consider the our sister organisation, the British conversation about how we continue to create a healthy and happy future for important issue of international Homeopathic Association. These our fantastic organisation in the years expansion, we must not forget the charitable clinics provide new and to come. enormous needs and opportunities innovative ways of working for all of within the UK. At home, we have us and ensure that patient access to Dr Gary Smyth witnessed huge changes in the homeopathic treatment will continue, President, Faculty of Homeopathy healthcare environment over the past regardless of any short-sighted few years. These include the issue of decisions by NHS managers. NHS funding, regulatory changes, I’m also encouraged by the an appraisal and revalidation system enthusiasm and determination of for doctors, and a distorted and false our members. They know and are Editor: John Burry view of homeopathy which has been convinced by the value and benefits of Consultant Editor: Sara Eames propagated by a hostile media. integrating homeopathy within their Faculty of Homeopathy The attacks on our profession have practice. The cumulative experience CAN Mezzanine , 49-51 East Road been intense and it is understandable over many years of practice and tens of London, N1 6AH Tel: 020 3640 5903 that some colleagues have become thousands of patients is much stronger E: [email protected] discouraged, as their ability to and louder than any reductionist W: www.facultyofhomeopathy.org practise homeopathy has become argument made by our opponents. All the material in this publication is copyright and may not be reproduced without permission. The publishers do not more challenging. However, I am With increased patient choice and necessarily identify with or hold themselves responsible for optimistic about the health of the an enthusiastic membership, we have contributors’, correspondents’ or advertisers’ opinions. Faculty and the health of homeopathy every reason to be optimistic about our Design: HMCA Services [email protected] in the UK. Patient demand is higher future. Printing: Henry Ling Limited 2 NEWS simile • May 2019 • The Faculty of Homeopathy National survey produces encouraging results for complementary medicine A large number of people in Britain conducted by OnePoll.com and on gym memberships, vitamins and would consider using complementary commissioned by the campaign supplements, prescriptions, exercise medicine as part of their healthcare, group 4Homeopathy in support of classes and healthy foods. This mean according to the results of a national Homeopathy Awareness Week, which that during their adult life people will survey. runs each year from 10-16 April. spend over £65,000 each on trying to Two thousand people were surveyed A spokesperson for 4Homeopathy stay healthy. to discover how as a nation we feel said: “Looking after your health is Seven in 10 people said they think about our health.