Natural Order
At the other end of the spectrum, Western Influences was integral in the development of a complementary, natural and alternative therapy centre in a mainstream teaching hospital in Western Australia. A leading haematologist had seen a model of such a centre in the United Kingdom and had a vision for creating a centre to support people with cancer and leukaemia in Perth. Western Influences designed the policies and procedures for the centre; managed the recruitment and retention of appropriately trained and qualified therapists; coordinated over 1,000 volunteer support people; and, developed a self-care program for all who worked there. Western Influences was also involved in the extensive and valuable research on the impact of alternative therapy on quality of life undertaken by the centre over many years.
One of Western Influences’ senior consultants modified the hospital model to suit the private health sector, developing a centre that incubated complementary, natural and alternative therapy businesses. What began as a small vision to bring credibility to the alternative health sector, soon grew into a nationwide movement, with people from all over Australia visiting the centre to learn how to replicate the model. Today, hundreds of such centres exist across Australia, with thousands of therapists practicing their therapies in a professional environment alongside their allopathic medicine colleagues.
