Health Insurance Companies

The following list of Private Medical Insurance Companies all cover homeopathy and recognise members of the Society of Homeopaths. Depending on your level of cover, policies may pay some or all costs of treatment by a complementary practitioner, some companies may need a referral from a GP. Contact the company directly for more information.

Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 0121 454 3601
No GP referral required

CIGNA UK

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 01475 492 187
GP referral required

Civil Service Healthcare

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 0208 410 0440
GP referral required

Clinicare

Contact: Claims Helpline
Telephone: 01462 688 100
GP referral may vary

First Assist Insurance Services Limited

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 01202 292 464
GP referral required

Forester Health

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 0208 628 3434
No GP referral required

Health Shield

Contact: Claims Department
Telephone: 01270 588 555
No GP referral required

HSA

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 08702 425 454
No GP referral required

Medisure

Contact: Claims Department
Telephone: 0870 333 1174
GP referral may vary

Norwich Union Healthcare

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 0870 155 5789
GP referral required

Patient Aid Association

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 01902 371 000
No GP referral required

Pinnacle PLC

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 0208 207 9100
No GP referral required

Provincial Hospital Association

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 01234 267 371
No GP referral required

Standard Life Health Care

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 0161 475 3404
GP referral required

Westfield Health Scheme

Contact: Claims
Telephone: 0114 250 2000
GP referral required

Oh Calcutta

In January 2008 I went to Calcutta for a month to spend time at the Bengal Allen Institute. The course was organised by Dr Subrata Banerjea and was a combination of lectures and visits to slum clinics and lecturers consulting rooms. The first, and most striking thing about the trip, was that there is absolutely no animosity between homeopathy and allopathy in India. We were taught by homeopaths and also by a medical doctor, they work together in harmony. It can happen!

In India there is no form of state health system so people have to pay for all treatment themselves whether this is medication, blood tests, scans or surgery. This means they also choose what type of treatment suits them and will pay to see an allopathic doctor, a homeopath or an ayurvedic practitioner. Surgery and biopsies are expensive procedures which are financially out of the question for many people. We saw patients in the clinics from all social backgrounds, from people living in slums to a multi-billionaire shipping magnate. All of them chose homeopathy and use it because they know it works for them.

One of the criticisms levelled against homeopathy in Europe is that we spend so much time listening to patients that they are likely to feel better just because they are having a nice chat and being listened to. In India the patient certainly doesn't get time to chat but the results are still very impressive.

In one slum clinic session we saw 50 patients treated in less than 3 hours! Many of the consulting rooms were far from restful places. Often there were several students observing and a queue of patients waiting to be seen either in the same room or just outside.

Calcutta is a bustling and noisy place but I loved it and had a great time there. The clinics and lecturers were an inspiration and it was a fantastic opportunity to see a huge number of difficult cases successfully treated with homeopathy.

One of our lecturers, Dr Basu, in the consulting room at his home.

Indian Homeopathic Pharmacies

In England there are a handful of specialist homeopathic pharmacies and shops. In India, and especially in Calcutta, that is not the case. There are many, many shops, clinics and pharmacies particularly around BB Ganguly Street. They are always full of people waiting to collect remedies or to see a homeopath.

Just around the corner from the Bengal Allen Institute was the dispensary and offices of the National Homeopathic Pharmacy. It was a fantastic old building with cabinets everywhere full of books, tinctures and remedies. It always seemed very chaotic in there but the system worked and we always got what we had ordered!