Northampton General Hospital provides hypnotherapy support to patients

One consultant said hospitals could introduce hypnotherapy support to help patients cope with pain, anxiety and stress.

Northampton General Hospital offers alternative treatment.

Hypnotherapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses hypnosis to treat certain mental and physical health conditions.

Consultant anesthetist Dr Paul Slater said the treatment option was “quite novel” for an NHS service.

“There are very few hospitals that offer hypnosis, and I don’t think any other hospital offers a service like ours,” he said.

Dr Slater and acute pain specialist Louise Foulsham-McFall will provide limited face-to-face support alongside online recorded sessions that patients can access from home.

Dr Slater, who has been using hypnosis for more than a decade to help patients deal with their fears about medical procedures, said in an interview with BBC Radio Northampton that the treatment can be thought of as “induced fantasies”. said that it can be done.

“While daydreaming, your mind relaxes and becomes more receptive to suggestions from your therapist. This allows you to be more effective when dealing with pain, anxiety, and stress.” he said.

Ms Foulsham-McFall said: “Visiting a hospital for a procedure, surgery or investigation can be anxiety-provoking and can be a major event in some people’s lives.”

“Developing ways to manage your anxiety, encourage positive thinking, and increase your coping skills can all positively impact your experience and aid your recovery.”

She added that clinical hypnosis is very safe.

“You will be treated with the utmost care and respect, and you will not be asked to do or say anything offensive,” she said.

Ms Foulsham-McFaul said she accepted there was “probably” a degree of skepticism about hypnosis due to its portrayal in media and entertainment, but added that patients “do things they don’t want to do themselves”. It will never be forced.”