Complimentary Therapies FAQ's

What are complementary therapies?
Complementary therapies are treatments used to support regular treatments such as medication.

What complementary therapies might I be offered at St John's Hospice?
We currently offer massage, reiki, reflexology and acupuncture to relieve physical and psychological symptoms and aid in the management of pain, mobility, depression, anxiety and stress. Your suitability for complementary therapies will be assessed as part of your initial assessment and reviewed at regular intervals.

Who provides the treatments?
We work with a range of complementary therapists and the practitioner the patient sees depends on the type of therapy used and which day they attend for appointments. All of the practitioners working within the hospice hold a qualification to at least diploma level in their relevant therapy.

Where do complementary therapies take place?
Therapies are usually provided in one of our new consulting rooms in the Hospice, although we also see people in their rooms if they have been admitted onto the In-Patient Unit.

Do you charge for complementary therapies?
All of the clinical services provided by the Hospice are free of charge.

Are carers eligible for complementary therapies?
As part of the development of our carers programme, we will be offering a limited service to carers of our patients from the latter part of 2009.

Can complementary therapies help my particular problem?
We will discuss this with you as part of your initial assessment. We believe that complementary therapies can positively help a range of problems in for people with serious illness.