Clinical Services

How do I make an appointment?

Please get in touch with our friendly Clinical Navigators, Emma and Claire, by telephone: 0117 370 1875, or email: [email protected].

How do I choose which clinician is best for me?

We recommend reading our clinical team bios to see if anyone resonates with you.  If you have a preference for a particular approach or to come in person, this will help guide you to a suitable clinician.  Please feel free to get in touch with our Clinical Navigation team, Emma and Claire, who will listen carefully to your situation to help guide you further.

Do NCIM consult worldwide?

We can consult with patients in the UK, Europe, and most other countries except the USA and Canada.  Please get in touch with us to check your location if you are overseas.  For Mistletoe Therapy, please see our FAQs on this topic.

Do you have a list of integrative practitioners near me?

As Integrative Medicine (IM) isn’t yet a registered profession, we don’t hold a list of IM practitioners across the UK/other countries.  However, if you’d like to consult with one of our clinicians but don’t live locally to us (Bristol, UK), all our clinicians offer online appointments.

How soon can I expect to get an appointment?

We aim to have appointments available within 2-4 weeks, however, this will depend on the demand at the time.  Our clinicians will do their best to accommodate extra clinic space if needed, and whilst we cannot guarantee they can make extra time available, we are always happy to ask.  We offer a cancellation list for booked appointments.

Are online appointments available?

Yes.  All our clinicians offer online appointments using Zoom, and can also give telephone appointments if preferred.

Can I see someone in person?

Yes.  In-person appointments can be booked with Dr Emi Marui, Dr Hazel Walklin, and Claire Cohen (Nutritional Therapy).  Dr Elizabeth Thompson also offers in-person appointments and has a waiting list.

Do you offer appointments for children?

Yes.  Most of our clinicians will consult with children; details below.  We recommend getting in touch with us about your child’s situation so we can advise on the most suitable approaches and clinician for their needs.  A responsible adult will need to be present with children aged 15 and under.

Children of all ages from birth: Dr Elizabeth Thompson, Dr Emi Maruo, Dr Roger Smith, Kiriaki Marselou
Children age 16+: Dr Hazel Walkin, Dr Jay Bowden, Claire Cohen

How do you support access to appointments?

For in-person appointments, please let us know in advance if you have any access requirements.  Our clinic is on the first floor, up one flight of stairs, and a lift is available from the main reception.  A member of our team can meet you in the main reception to offer any further support if needed.

For online appointments using Zoom, closed captions that transcribe all speech can be requested, should this be helpful.

How long are appointments?

With all our clinicians, an initial consultation is 1 hour.  Follow-up appointments are usually 30 minutes, but sometimes a 60-minute follow-up will be recommended.  Patients can also request a 60-minute follow-up if desired.

How often do I need a follow-up appointment?

This varies depending on your needs, goals, and treatments you are working through.  The clinician will discuss a suitable package of care with each patient to agree on beneficial follow-up times, which may typically be at 4, 6, 8, or 12-week intervals.

Can I speak to my clinician in between appointments?

If you have a specific question about something your clinician has recommended or wish to provide your clinician with a short update for their review and comment, our Clinical Navigators, Emma and Claire, can facilitate this via email.  Please appreciate that to ensure safe practice, if you have a lot of questions or are in a complex situation, your clinician may suggest that a follow-up appointment would be best to talk things through.

Can I get an emergency appointment?

Our clinicians typically schedule a weekly or fortnightly clinic; we aren’t running a round-the-clock service.  We aim to offer appointments within 2-4 weeks, and we offer a cancellation list for booked appointments.  If your situation feels urgent, our clinicians will do their best to accommodate extra clinic space if needed, but this isn’t guaranteed.

For emergencies and urgent care needs, patients in the UK are advised to dial 111 or to contact their GP, or dial 999 for emergency services.

How much do appointments cost?

With our medical team: 1 hour £220, 30 minutes £110
With Dr Elizabeth Thompson: 1 hour £300, 30 minutes £150 (waiting list)
With our Nutritional Therapists: 1 hour £130, 30 minutes £65

Do you offer any concessions for appointment fees?

Yes.  Our strategic partner, the Health and Wellbeing Trust, is a charity that supports patient access to integrative medicine appointments by awarding a contribution towards consultation fees (bursaries are available for appointment fees, not treatments, e.g., supplements, homeopathic medicines, Mistletoe Therapy).  Patients can have up to 4 bursary-assisted appointments in a 12-month period, and should apply for a bursary at least 2 weeks ahead of an appointment.  Please get in touch with us to ask for further details.

How do I pay for an appointment?

You can pay for your appointment via an online payment link, bank transfer, or card payment over the phone.  We ask that payment is made within 7 days of booking your appointment, but if you are coming to see us in person, you can pay with cash on the day if preferred.

Can I pay for an appointment in installments?

Yes.  You can part-pay for your appointment as long as payment is received in full by the time of your appointment.

Can someone attend my appointment with me?

Yes.  We understand that patients might sometimes like the support of a friend or family member during their appointment.  We kindly ask that no more than one other person attends your appointment with you (whether in person or online).  If you feel comfortable, some time alone with the clinician is often beneficial but not essential.  Children aged 15 and under will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

What is the cancellation policy?

We ask patients to give us as much notice as possible if they need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, and to notify us by telephone/voicemail or email.

• Cancellations in advance of 48 hours before an appointment will not incur a cancellation fee (if payment has already been made, it can be transferred to a future appointment or refunded).
• Cancellations less than 48 hours before an appointment will incur a 50% cancellation fee.
• If a patient does not attend their appointment and has not let us know, they will be charged the full cost of the appointment.
• We will not book future appointments for a patient until any outstanding cancellation/missed appointment fees have been paid.

How do I find the NCIM clinic?

We are located at Ham Green House in Pill, just outside of Bristol.  Please see the Visit Us section on our Contact page.

NCIM, Ham Green House, Chapel Pill Lane, Pill, Bristol, BS20 0HH.

Can I be referred to NCIM from my NHS GP or Consultant?

NHS referrals are not yet available for NCIM services (we hope they will be in time!)

Can I claim for NCIM appointments/treatment through private health insurance?

If you have private health insurance, we suggest asking for a list of services that your provider will cover.  For example, we find that some providers will cover Medical Homeopathy, so if you were to see one of our Medical Homeopaths, you may be able to be reimbursed.

Consulting with NCIM is not a substitute for standard care, including acute care and emergency services.
For urgent medical advice in the UK, please dial 111, or contact your GP, or dial 999 for emergency services.

What is Integrative Medicine?

Integrative Medicine (IM) is an umbrella term that encompasses all approaches to healthcare; combining standard care with lifestyle, functional, nutritional, and complementary approaches.  We work with our patients to empower self-care and support their journey to feeling well.

Are NCIM doctors conventionally trained and regulated?

All NCIM doctors have qualified in medicine from traditional medical schools/universities.  Some are practicing in the NHS, while others are private clinicians.  Our medical doctors are licensed with the General Medical Council, and our clinical services are regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

Do your doctors diagnose health conditions?

We support our patients alongside their standard care.  We can work with any existing diagnoses, but don’t provide any diagnostic services.  A diagnosis will need to be made by a patient’s primary care physician, such as a GP or Consultant (whether NHS or private).

Do your doctors prescribe pharmaceuticals?

We support our patients with integrative approaches alongside their standard care.   We prescribe Mistletoe and Helleborus niger Therapy as an approach within Integrative Cancer Care.  Some homeopathic and anthroposophical medicines also require a prescription, which we can provide.  We don’t prescribe standard pharmaceuticals, but we can suggest any that might be helpful for a patient to discuss with their GP or Consultant.

Do your doctors perform examinations or investigative tests?

We don’t perform any examinations or run tests such as blood work, ultrasound, etc.  If we feel that a certain examination or test would be helpful, we will support patients to access this through their GP or Consultant.  In a  Functional Medicine approach, non-invasive private tests are available; please see our FAQs on this topic.

Can your doctors give a second opinion about my standard treatment?

NCIM doctors are not in a position to give a second opinion, as a patient’s case would need to be reviewed by a practicing specialist in the relevant field, for example, a GP, Oncologist, Endocrinologist, Gastroenterologist, Cardiologist, etc.  We are happy to help our patients navigate decision-making, as we understand it can be useful to talk this through with an independent medical professional.  We will never advise against any standard medical treatment that has been offered or suggest that we can provide alternative treatments.

Consulting with NCIM is not a substitute for standard care, including acute care and emergency services.
For urgent medical advice in the UK, please dial 111, or contact your GP, or dial 999 for emergency services.

Download our Mistletoe Therapy Information Leaflet, which should answer most questions!
We have added useful links and additional FAQs here, but please don’t hesitate to contact us with any further questions.

Useful links

Mistletoe Research
Mistletoe Patient Experiences
Iscador Mistletoe
Helixor Mistletoe
Abnoba Mistletoe
Helixor Helleborus niger

Use of Mistletoe is subject to consultation; a doctor must assess clinical context and suitability for treatment.
In the UK, Mistletoe is obtained with a private prescription from a GMC-registered medical doctor.

Why consult with NCIM for Mistletoe Therapy

We take an individualised approach to treatment, considering preparations across different manufacturers (Iscador, Helixor, Abnoba).  We take great care to continuously review and adjust regimes as clinical context or personal circumstances change.  We have whole-person approach to supporting our patients in body, mind, and spirit, using a range of approaches rather than Mistletoe in isolation.  Our Mistletoe team is led by one of only a few trained experts in the UK.

Is Mistletoe a cancer treatment / does it cure cancer?

No. Mistletoe is not a cancer treatment and not a replacement for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or surgery.  Mistletoe does not cure cancer.  Mistletoe is used as a supportive therapy to stimulate the immune system and improve quality of life.  Using Mistletoe alongside standard cancer treatment may improve patient outcomes.

Can Mistletoe be used alongside cancer treatments?

Yes.  Mistletoe has been well researched alongside cancer treatments without safety or efficacy concerns.

Can I use Mistletoe if I decide not to take cancer treatments?

Yes.  Mistletoe can be used whether or not you opt for standard treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or surgery.

Can Mistletoe be prescribed for patients outside the UK?

Unfortunately, shipping Mistletoe treatment from the UK to other countries is not straightforward at present. We encourage patients to seek treatment in their own country to ensure a robust supply chain. If you’re having difficulty finding a clinician or supply in your country, do get in touch with us, and we’ll do our best to help source care and treatment.

What are the different Mistletoe preparations?

There are three considerations when it comes to Mistletoe preparations – the method of administration, the manufacturer, and the host-tree selection.

Methods of administration
NCIM prescribe Mistletoe as an oral solution (taken as drops in water) or as subcutaneous injections that are self-administered at home.  Other clinics may offer intravenous or intra-tumoral treatment.  The majority of research is with the subcutaneous injection method.  Deciding between oral or subcutaneous treatment is discussed during consultation, taking into consideration clinical context and other treatments, sensitivity to herbal medicines, cost, and patient choice.

Manufacturers
NCIM prescribe Mistletoe manufactured by Iscador, Helixor, and Abnoba.  This provides a wide selection of preparations so that therapy can be individualised as best as possible.  The manufacturers harvest and prepare Mistletoe extract in different ways, which alter the levels of active constituents, thus preparations between manufacturers are non-comparable.  The main active constituents are lectins and viscotoxins, the balance of which makes preparations more suitable for different cancer types and stages, and patient constitution.

Host-tree selection
The levels of active constituents are also altered depending on which tree the Mistletoe is grown (referred to as the host tree) which results in an affinity for different cancer types.  Preparations are named according to the host tree, such as Oak, Apple, Pine, Elm, Ash, Birch, and others (using their latin names).  The host-tree selection considers the site of the original cancer and any metastases, and as an anthroposophically-prepared medicine, also considers constitutional elements of the patient.  Alternating between deciduous and coniferous host-tree preparations may sometimes be recommended.

Consulting with NCIM is not a substitute for standard care, including acute care and emergency services.
For urgent medical advice in the UK, please dial 111, or contact your GP, or dial 999 for emergency services.

What are functional tests and their benefits?

Functional tests are commonly used in the worlds of functional medicine and nutritional therapy.  They look more in-depth at our internal environment and physiological function to identify imbalances that may be contributing to symptoms.

They provide useful insights to help fine-tune personalised recommendations and aid explanation as to what may be going on inside our bodies!

Functional tests are not diagnostic for any disease, but offer a more holistic understanding of our bodily functions and how everything inside of us is connected.

What functional tests do you offer?

There’s a huge range of tests available, and new tests are coming to the market all the time!  Clinicians only suggest tests that they believe will be clinically useful, so will be different for every patient.

In our clinics we most commonly use tests that look at digestive function and microbiome analysis, sex hormone balance, stress hormone balance, nutrient status, toxic elements (heavy metals and microbes), and genetic influences.

Some of the labs/tests we use are: Genova Diagnostics, Invivo, DUTCH test, Lifecode Gx

How do I order functional tests?

Most functional tests need to be ordered by a registered clinic, so we place orders on behalf of our patients.  Payment is required in advance of ordering.

Can you work with a test I’ve already had?

Yes.  If you have results from a test you’ve completed within the last 3-6 months, and if nothing significant has changed with your diet, lifestyle, or symptoms, it may still be of clinical value.

What do functional tests cost?

There are a wide range of tests available, and costs are typically between £100-£500.

Can I ask for these tests on the NHS?

Functional tests aren’t used in conventional NHS care and are only available through private laboratories.

Consulting with NCIM is not a substitute for standard care, including acute care and emergency services.
For urgent medical advice in the UK, please dial 111, or contact your GP, or dial 999 for emergency services.

Download our Homeopathy Information Leaflet, which should answer most questions!
If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Consulting with NCIM is not a substitute for standard care, including acute care and emergency services.
For urgent medical advice in the UK, please dial 111, or contact your GP, or dial 999 for emergency services.