"This hospital saved my life and the..."

What I liked

I was referred to RLHIM by my GP because I have ME with multiple allergies and chemical sensitivities. I have been having EPD at this hospital for many years. At my initial appointment I weighed under 7stone and was only able to eat parsnips and fish because everything else caused rashes, reactions and anaphylaxis. After the first treatment I was able to eat rice again and after every subsequent treatment I got back more and more foods. This hospital and the EPD treatment are fantastic.

The Consultant is outstanding - he is caring and compassionate, kind, sensitive and very well educated. His knowledge of allergies and intolerances is amazing and yet he is also prepared to learn new things and to look things up on the internet that I have read about. He is also easily able to offer advice about treatment of other conditions such as migraine, asthma and osteoporosis and is also knowledgeable about treatments and medications for these conditions and how they may interact with ME and allergies.

He provides advice and prescriptions for both allopathic and homoeopathic medicine and is skilled in knowing which is appropriate and when - he would never prescribe homoeopathy for something that requires a conventional drug, but equally he would never prescribe a conventional drug when a homoeopathic treatment would work well and do less harm.

He runs tests to show vitamin and mineral deficiencies for both ME and other illnesses: he will phone me if the tests indicate a problem. His letters to my GP are very prompt and he always sends a copy to me. He is helpful and supportive with Benefit Claims and willing to write letters whenever necessary.

I cannot praise the Consultant and this hospital enough - it is an amazing place where patients are treated with calmness and respect and where all the help that I need is available.

Closing this hospital would be a crime.

What could be improved

Nothing

Anything else?

This hospital, formerly known as the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital, has been under threat for a number of years. At a time when France and Germany are expanding homoeopathic provision the homoeopathic hospitals in this country are under attack from multiple agencies.

Sometimes homoeopathy works for me, sometimes it doesn't, but that's also true of every conventional medicine I have ever been prescribed. Who hasn't been given a painkiller that doesn't work, a migraine treatment that makes migraines worse, or an asthma inhaler that exacerbated the asthma. At least with homoeopathy if the medicine doesn't work it also doesn't do any harm - and isn't that a doctor's duty - 'First do no harm'?

Closing this hospital does not make financial sense because it provides a very cheap and responsible service to patients failed by other hospital departments. Closing this hospital doesn't make much sense medically either since its services have clearly saved my life and the lives of countless others with similar health problems.

This is a wonderful hospital with wonderful doctors, nurses and administrative staff and it should not be closed.