Functional Medicine seeks to understand and address the root causes of illness.
Patients will be offered a holistic assessment based on a comprehensive history and analysis of relevant test results. Treatment plans will be formulated primarily using an evidence-based diet and lifestyle-medicine approach. The recommendations will focus on diet and nutrition, physical movement, mental wellbeing, adequate sleep, and lifestyle adaptations to improve metabolic functioning, nutritional sufficiency and reduce stress. If appropriate, medical treatments, carefully selected supplements and/or medication (both prescribed and non-prescribed) will be recommended and used to help achieve best health outcomes. Medication is only prescribed by the Functional Medicine Doctor. Patients being seen by Lynda Mallinson only may wish to discuss supplements as part of treatment. In this case if deemed necessary, a medical opinion is also available.
Testing (including blood, urine, stool and other testing) is an intrinsic part of the diagnostic and screening process and patients will be asked to provide samples where appropriate by the doctor. Blood samples may be taken by your Functional Medicine Doctor where that service is offered.
Where patients would benefit from the expertise of other health professionals they will be signposted or referred on as appropriate.
Your Functional Medicine appointment is not suitable for the treatment of acute medical conditions, medical emergencies or accidents. Patients who are concerned that they may be suffering an acute (non-emergency) medical problem should contact their general practitioner or call the NHS-111 service. In the case of a suspected medical emergency patients should visit the Accident and Emergency department of their nearest hospital or call 999 as appropriate.
If your Functional Medicine practitioner determines that there is an acute or serious medical condition requiring urgent treatment or investigation, the patient will be immediately directed to their own NHS GP for further care. The GP will be contacted (with permission from the patient), to request their input with appropriate urgency.
All patients are required to register with an NHS GP as the clinic will not offer services for acute conditions or cancer screening and will not provide treatment or prescriptions for these beyond good nutritional and lifestyle advice.
Where radiological or invasive testing procedures are deemed appropriate, the patient will be directed back to their GP to arrange NHS testing or to another appropriate private specialist as they wish. All possible cancer diagnoses will be flagged to the GP immediately and the patient will be directed to attend for NHS screening and appropriate referral.
Nov 2019