Bad decision to stop treatment

I HOPE Jennifer is able to make the NHS think again about stopping her treatment for complex regional pain syndrome (December 6).

They stated her treatment wasn’t on approved treatment list SIGN 136.

It’s actually a guideline and nowhere does it state acupuncture isn’t an approved treatment.

In fact no key recommendations were made as the evidence for complementary therapies such as the laser therapy she was receiving is limited.

Nothing has changed in the guideline since 2013 so it’s disingenuous to cite 136 as the reason treatment was stopped.

SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) actually states: “Adherence to guideline recommendations should not be construed as including all proper methods of care or excluding other acceptable methods of care aimed at the same results. The ultimate judgment must be made by the appropriate healthcare professionals responsible for clinical decisions regarding a particular clinical procedure or treatment plan.”

Her’s decided in 2013 that laser acupuncture was the appropriate treatment, which she says works for her, so why hide behind a flawed interpretation? SIGN states guidelines do not rob clinicians of their freedom or responsibility to make decisions based on their experience and the circumstances of each patient.

The standard of care required by law derives from customary and accepted practice rather than from the imposition of clinical guidelines. There is no compulsion to implement SIGN guidelines, NHS Boards should all be able to define the standard of care they provide.

Good luck Jennifer.