Taking the theme 'putting people first', our conference includes a host of leading figures from the worlds of mainstream and complementary healthcare. 

We ask how true integration can be put into action and how can we really make a difference to so many lives?

Speakers include Dr Phil Hammond, Sir Michael Marmot, Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, Professor Karol Sikora, Dame Donna Kinnair, Dame Carol Black, Sir Cyril Chantler. And a special guest.

This month, the Arthritis Research Campaign produced a detailed report about complementary medicines, many of them herbal, which have been traditionally used for arthritis.  Many of the subsequent news headlines summarised the report as 'herbs ineffective for arthritis'.  This is not what the report said.  We review the findings and discover a more mixed picture.  We recommend the report as a very helpful reference.

The results of a year-long pilot in Northern Ireland have been published.  The pilot gave patients access to free complementary treatments via their GP's surgery. It demonstrated that integrating complementary and conventional medicine brings measurable benefits to patients’ health.  We give an overview of the results.

The results of a review of all the good trials of acupuncture for headache has been published by the Cochrane Collaboration.  Dr Adrian White talks us through the results.

'Body and soul' goes the phrase - but how many doctor's really consider the 'soul' side, and what does it mean?  Our new blogging doctor, Dr Heena Patel describes how her Hindu background supports her own work - and can sometimes be useful in helping patients.

FIH have been racing around the UK for the past month, visiting the best of the entries for our integrated health awards.  Among  them is Women's Health in South Tyneside, a project offering a 'Tardis of opportunities' for women  - from access to complementary therapies to vegetable gardening.  This is the first of 23 stories we'll be bringing you over the next month or two highlighting best practice.