The Royal London Homeopathic Hospital (RLHH), one of the few state funded bastions defending alternative medicine against the enlightenment hordes, is no more.  A change of name has been announced by the League of Friends of the RLHH, it will become the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine (RLHIM) from the 16th September.

Although we are sorry to see this time-honoured and respected name replaced, the history attached to it remains. The change of name better reflects the developing services and will lead to a more accurate perception of its unique role in the NHS.

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For much of its history the RLHH was a small general hospital incorporating a specialist homeopathic department. From the early 1980’s surgical and other conventional specialities were closed and replaced by a wide range of complementary medicine services, including the NHS’s first complementary cancer care, acupuncture, musculoskeletal medicine and herbal medicine services. Since joining UCLH there has been rapid progress in integrating these services.

[...]

Dr Fisher, Clinical Director of the RLHH said “We are very proud of our homeopathic heritage, but it is essential to understanding the nature of our work that our name accurately reflects our role. We hope that you will support this historic change.”
The RLHH is Europe’s largest and, as part of UCLH, best integrated public sector centre for integrated medicine. The hospital offers a diverse range of therapies, all practiced by fully registered health professionals and integrated with conventional medicine.
The change of name to Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine reflects the reality of services at the hospital and its exceptional position in the NHS.

Regardless of this change of name, the hospitals supporters are still concerned about its long term future.

we learnt that the 5 Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) making up the North Central London Sector – Camden, Islington, Enfield, Haringey and Barnet – have agreed a ‘Low Priority Treatments’ Policy which could be the final blow to the viability of the RLHH

The Policy is an underhanded process aimed directly at reducing or completely stopping patient referrals to the RLHH. Although the hospital is not named and complementary medicine is just one of several ‘Low Priority’ treatments listed, the hospital is the only dedicated NHS provider of complementary medicine in the area. This is a direct attack on its continued viability – if there are no patient referrals, there is no need for the hospital.

How could this affect you?
If your GP refers you to the RLHH, you are likely to receive a letter from the PCT stating that your case has been referred to an Individual Cases Panel, or Exceptional Treatments Panel or something of a similar name (different PCTs have different names for them).
You, or your GP, may be asked to provide conclusive evidence that any conventional treatment had been unsuccessful and of the effectiveness of the treatment you are being referred for. This puts you, the patient, in a difficult situation and more often than not will result in a refusal.

I suspect these concerns are well founded and that this rebranding exercise may be futile in the long term.  Indeed it may even open the hospital up to new attacks.  The arguments against the NHS funding of homeopathy have permeated the consciousness of the political establishment and wider society. There is little more that can be added to these arguments, they can only be restated and may in time fade through familiarity.  However, there is much yet unsaid in the popular discourse on Integrated Medicine.  The collapse of the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health due to financial fraud has thrown the spotlight on the failed attempts of its bastard offspring, the Faculty of Integrated Medicine College of Medicine (see update below).  While this blighted institution has no formal links with the RLHIM, it is sustained from the same well of establishment delusion that supports many of the eccentric notions that spring half formed from the mind of the Prince of Wales and the organisations he supports.  One wonders if the unscientific notions that are will be taught at the Faculty of Integrated Medicine College of Medicine are being put into practice at the RLHIM?  If so, that may be scandal waiting to happen.

*update*

Looks like I confused my quackstitutions: copied from the comment below by Prof Colquhoun.  My argument still stands though.

<Good news, on the whole, The name change is something that Michael Baum and I urged on The UCLH Trust years ago, though our suggestion didn’t include the weasel word “integrated”.

One small correction though. The Faculty of Integrated Medicine was nothing to do with the late unlamented Prince’s Foundation. It was the Rosy Daniel/ Mark Atkinson outfit that was temporarily accredited by the University of Buckingham, but thrown out after a year. Trading Standards made then tone down their claims to “heal” cancer, after I brought the claims to their attention. The Prince’s Foundation gave rise to the “College of Medicine“, final details of which have yet to be revealed. We do know, though, that when Daniel sought a new home for the Faculty of Integrated Medicine, even the new College gave them the push. As far as I know, FIM is still homeless.

*update 2*

The Quackometer now carries an obituary for the RLHH.