Finding a competent practitioner for a complementary therapy is not always easy. There is little statutory regulation for qualifications or practice for most of the therapies and therapists. However, the best ways of finding a practitioner are through:

• an MS resource or therapy centre, where often other people with MS and staff in the centre will have experience of particular therapists;
• a recommendation or referral from a neurologist, GP or other healthcare professional;
• registers set up by the professional bodies of whichever therapy you are interested in;
• referral for homeopathy to one of the NHS hospitals providing this service;
• contacting the British Complementary Medicine Association, or the Institute of Complementary Medicine (see Appendix 1).

Ask whether practitioners are trained and licensed; whether they are insured for malpractice, negligence or accident; and how complaints are handled. One of the key things is to try and ensure that whichever therapist you go to has a good understanding of MS. Both of you should be able to evaluate its benefits.