A unique health project has managed to gain funding without doing it under the auspices of a doctor: the Hoxton Health Project was set up in 1987 as an NHS pilot project, funded by the Inner City Partnership and the local health authority. A group practice of alternative therapists, including acupuncture, homoeopathy and shiatsu massage, they provide treatment to local people over the age of 55. Conducting a clinical audit assessing variables such as pain relief, joint movement, drug intake and the quality of life to demonstrate their effectiveness, they are now applying for permanent funding from the NHS. They look set to become the first such clinic made up of lay practitioners to be part of the establishment.