Bravewell Integrated Health Summit

Chairman of The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health David Brownlow, along with trustee Simon Fielding, have been invited to the USA Bravewell summit on integrated health, to be held 25th – 27th February in Washington DC.

Like Britain, the USA is seeing a rising incidence of long term and chronic disease. The Foundation hopes to learn how integrated healthcare is helping American patients, their doctors and society at large to tackle the problems that long term disease cause.

The Prince’s Foundation and the Bravewell Collaborative, a philanthropic organisation, have formed a formal partnership focusing on improving the health of the public in both countries by advancing the use of integrated healthcare.

Joint organiser of the summit is the Institute of Medicine, the leading US scientific body for medicine. Topics to be discussed include patient-centered care, the scientific basis of integrated medicine, value-driven care, and mind-body relationships and health.

Speakers will include Dame Carol Black, Chair of the Academy of Royal Colleges, and Sir Cyril Chantler, Chairman of the King’s Fund.

David Brownlow said:

'Chronic disease causes a massive burden on individual sufferers and their families. There is a huge cost to society too, in terms of treatment costs, lost working days and welfare support.

'We hope the Summit findings will raise awareness in the UK as well as the USA of the benefits of integrated healthcare – and help us to provide practical solutions that will serve the needs of patients and society in a successful, compassionate and cost effective way.'

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.     For more information, contact Pat Goodall, 01246 410707 or 07789 871234, email: pat.goodall@fih.org.uk

2.     The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health was founded in 1993 by HRH the Prince of Wales to promote integrated healthcare for all. More information can be found at www.fih.org.uk

3.     The Foundation will be holding its own first national conference on integrated health in central London, 13th – 14th May 2009.

4.     The Bravewell Collaborative is a philanthropic organisation whose aim is to bring about optimal health and healing for individuals and society in the USA. www.bravewell.org