As I routinely go through a series of hospital and general medical practitioner appointments I can contrast the service that I get from the National Health Service here in Great Britain to the service that I get from my non-NHS Osteopath. I experience both types of delivery regularly during the year.

The NHS provides my care for a number of problems of varying severity. The hospital system is impersonal, production line efficient and unless I insist (and I do when I can) I never see the same doctor twice even with my cancer treatment. In that case I insist on seeing the specialist nurse with whom I now have a good therapist/patient relationship and, most importantly, whose opinion I trust as she has a great deal of experience in dealing with patients with my problem. In the past the junior doctor (intern) who I saw would usually greet me with "I've looked at your notes". They think that is reassuring but it is, for me at least, quite the opposite. I'm just another name on today's long list. This is a fault of the system, not those who work in it, but is demoralising to all parties.

However, I clearly cannot form a proper therapeutic relationship in those circumstances and I feel unsatisfied and uncomfortable after each appointment.

Sadly that production line attitude has now crept into general practice. Some years ago when I was still in practice I kept a personal patient list and my patients were well known to me and I to them. This was a great help when I attended them in emergencies as there would be a pre-existing relationship of trust and knowledge for both of us. The patient would be reassured and I would have some background to help me. True "family doctoring" and a win win situation. It is now pot luck which General Practitioner you see and that is a sad loss for all concerned, hampering correct diagnosis and treatment.

I contrast that with the system of my osteopath, who has now become a friend. I know her and her staff personally and she knows me and my problems, treats me well and whose opinion I prefer to many of the doctors who see me fleetingly and never again.

The moral is clear. The most important part of treating a patient/client is the formation of proper relationship between the therapist and patient.

The jewel in the crown of complementary therapy is the model of personal care that it uses. Please take advantage of that.