Consultation

I am currently on sabbatical for 2010 and am therefore unable to take bookings to see patients, however do contact me if you wish to discuss herbal medicine or for details of practising herbalists in the area.

Before the initial consultation you may be asked to keep a food diary for a week or so, and also complete a short health questionnaire. This helps you to think about your medical history and get any dates and the sequence of events clear in your mind.

During the first consultation you will discuss your current health and the issues that concern you most. You may also be asked about other, sometimes seemingly unrelated and past conditions, as they all help to draw a picture of you and your health.

The first consultation may take up to an hour and a half - you are the expert on your own body and your health, and it is by getting to know you and how you react to your environment, that I can understand how best to draw up a treatment plan for you.

A treatment plan will usually be agreed based on your expectations and you will receive recommendations and usually be prescribed a herbal remedy.

After the consultation, the remedies are prepared using organic herbs wherever possible. The herbs used are of medicinal quality, supplied by specialist herbal suppliers, who are themselves herbalists. The remedy may be ready for you to take away immediately or it can be posted to you or you can collect it the next day.

There is usually a follow-up appointment after a month to see how you are, with further regular appointments every 4-6 weeks.

How long will the course of treatment last? This is different for each person, and is often affected by how long they have had the condition. It is usually possible to determine how effective the treatment is after 3-4 visits. A treatment plan can then be agreed, which is regularly reviewed. There is a charge per consultation plus the cost of any remedies, which is variable depending on each individual and each practitioner.