The NHS is looking to claim back all £120,000 in costs it incurred defending a legal challenge from homeopath groups challenging its ban on the non-evidence based remedies.

Arguing that the taxpayer should not be made to pick up the bill for “tap water masquerading as medicine” NHS England said it will seek full reimbursement after judges dismissed the homeopaths’ challenge in June.

The British Homeopathic Association (BHA) was ordered to pay NHS England’s costs by the High Court and said it intended to raise the money by crowd-funding from patients who felt they had benefited from the remedies.

Homeopathic remedies were among a host of “low-value” treatments banned by the NHS, following a consultation, as part of a drive to reduce costs and prioritise medicines and procedures where the evidence is best.

The chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens has said that the remedies were “at best a placebo” and that scarce NHS funds could be sent elsewhere.

This led to a legal challenge on the basis the negative statements about homeopathy had prejudiced the public consultation, and that the evidence had been too difficult for the public to understand. While an appeal was granted it was rejected after four days of legal arguments.

Mr Stevens said of the cost recovery: “The NHS has to be a wise steward of taxpayers’ money, and sometimes that means taking on vested interests.

“This case was a striking example where taxpayers were in essence being asked by the homeopathic industry to pay for something akin to tap water but masquerading as medicine.

“So we welcome the common sense judgement by the courts that those who brought this failed legal challenge should have to pick up the tab for the NHS’ legal costs.”

Homeopaths claim that “like cures like”. Remedies are created by dissolving a material believed to cause a certain affliction in water, then diluting that solution many times past the point at which any molecules of the original substance remain. The weaker the solution, the more powerful the remedy, it is said.

NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Show all 18 1 /18 NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People holding placards attend a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, addresses demonstrators following the march AFP/Getty NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary A man stands with a coffin, used as a prop at a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary epa06851663 Thousands of people march, to mark 70 years of the British National Health Service (NHS), in central London, Britain, 30 June 2018. Reports state that the gathering is calling on the government for increased funding and staffing for the NHS, as well as a protest against privatisation of an organisation which turns 70 years old on 05 July 2018. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People holding placards attend a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary A man wears an NHS themed hat during a march in support of the National Health Service, in central London, Britain, June 30, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson SIMON DAWSON Reuters NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Demonstrators hold placards during a march in support of the National Health Service, in central London, Britain, June 30, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson SIMON DAWSON REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary epa06851662 A man with a birthday placard as thousands of people march, to mark 70 years of the British National Health Service (NHS), in central London, Britain, 30 June 2018. Reports state that the gathering is calling on the government for increased funding and staffing for the NHS, as well as a protest against privatisation of an organisation which turns 70 years old on 05 July 2018. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Demonstrators stand in Whitehall during a march in support of the National Health Service, in central London, Britain, June 30, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson SIMON DAWSON REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People march in central London to mark the 70th anniversary of the NHS. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 30, 2018. See PA story INDUSTRY Demonstration. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell/PA Wire John Stillwell PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Demonstrators hold placards during of a march in support of the National Health Service, in central London, Britain, June 30, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson SIMON DAWSON REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People holding placards attend a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Demonstrators hold placards during a march in support of the National Health Service, in central London, Britain, June 30, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson SIMON DAWSON REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Jeremy Corbyn and Jon Ashworth speak during a march in central London, marking the 70th anniversary of the NHS. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 30, 2018. See PA story INDUSTRY Demonstration. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell/PA Wire John Stillwell PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People holding placards attend a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People holding placards attend a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People gather with placards to attend a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary People gather with placards to attend a demonstration and celebration march to mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), in central London on June 30, 2018. Organised by the Peoples Assembly, Health Campaigns Together, The TUC and 11 other health trade unions, tens of thousands are expected to attend the only national public event organised to mark the anniversary of the British Health Service. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images TOLGA AKMEN AFP/Getty Images

At the High Court ruling, Mr Justice Supperstone did not pass judgement on whether the procedures worked, but said NHS England was well placed to do so.

A BHA spokesperson said the group had undertaken the judicial review with full knowledge that it would be liable for costs if it failed.

“For the BHA it was a risk worth taking to tackle NHS England’s consultation process which the charity felt was unlawful and would stop patients, particularly those chronically ill and elderly, from getting the homeopathic medicines they depend upon through the NHS,” they added.