In July I attended a skill development

workshop presented by the Institute

for Health Research and the National

Phobic Society. The workshop was

designed to find suitable methods of

providing evidence of success in

health care provision in order to obtain

NHS funding.

The workshop was aimed at Hypnotherapy, Cognitive

Behavioural Therapy. Alternative & Complimentary Therapies,

Counselling & Psychotherapy. Speakers were Joyce Davidson,

an NHS funded NPS Researcher; Tim Twelvetree, Health R&D

North West Institute for Public Health Research and Policy,

One thing that I did find more than a bit disturbing was one

University of Salford; Dr. Sara Mallinson, assessing perceptions

stand performing past life regressions obviously for recreational

of health and challenges Lancaster University; Kate Chatfield

reasons. Napoleons' on the left and Joan of Arks' on the right.

current practice in outcome assessment in alternative and

Done with no apparent safety checks, where do some people

complimentary therapies. We were introduced to the system

leave their common sense?

that is currently favoured by the NHS and its many pitfalls and

the alternatives that the NHS are likely to consider.

The outcome was that the NPS would be adopting the

MYMOP2 system of assessment (Measure Yourself Medical

Outcome Profile). Although far from ideal in the eyes of the

majority of candidates in attendance, it is the least negatively

phrased of the systems on the table.

Researched by Maurice Sterndale

It was quite evident that, in order to obtain funding for any R&D,

you have to be able to support your claims with undisputable

fact that is repeatable, which can be very limiting, but it was a

After reading Josephine Blythe's article in the last Newsletter, I

good opportunity to get involved with the information gathering

was prompted to inform readers about a case where a lady

process and maybe have an influence on its development. I did

from Oldham has paid in excess of £23,0000 to undergo a

note that the majority of the delegates in attendance were

"revolutionary" cancer treatment in Germany and the Czech

hypnotherapists and a large proportion were LCCH trained.

republic. She was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at the

age of 21. She has had two bone marrow transplants and more

than a dozen courses of high-dose chemotherapy, but the

cancer keeps coming back. She was then told she had a

possibility of two years to live.

Her quest for an alternative led her to the Klinik St. George in

Munich for the Hyperthermia Treatment, a process not offered

Over the last couple of months it has been a pleasure for me to

as a standard treatment on the NHS. Then on to Prague to

be approached by ex Manchester students for references. I

boost her immune system using natural nutrients. In two weeks

have had two who are looking to develop a career in medicine

her cancer had been reduced by 33%. Klinik St. George claim

- one at Sheffield and one at Stafford. A third who is now taking

they have treated 10,000 cancer patients by hyperthermia so

a Psychology degree at Northampton and a fourth who is taking

far and have had an excellent response rate.

a Sports Psychology degree at Sheffield.

Hyperthermia is a relatively new cancer treatment which is also

It's nice to think that coming back into education through a

gaining favour among radiation therapists in the U.S. It is the

personal interest in hypnosis has provoked the will and quite

application of heat (temperatures ranging from 108°- 113°F) to

often the motivation to follow personal goals. Good Luck.

solid tumour cancer. Physicians have known for over a century

that cancer cells are vulnerable at higher temperatures, and

within the past decade the mechanisms by which the therapy

works have become understood. The problem has been finding

an accurate method for directing, measuring, and monitoring

the healing Hyperthermia is used in conjunction with other

cancer therapies, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

September saw the `Mind, Body, Spirit Exhibition at G-Mex

Hyperthermia increases the effectiveness of treatment when

Centre in Manchester. This is the fifth year we have had a stand

used in conjunction with radiation and chemotherapy.

to promote not only the college but the BSCH and its members.

Excessive heat in normal cells is reduced or dissipated by

This year saw a significant increase in interest from the public

changes in blood flow. Circulation within tumours becomes

at large in hypnosis and the beneficial uses that can be

more restricted as the tumour outgrows it's blood supply.

obtained. Of course you still get some sneaking past the stand

Consequently, a tumour retains heat for a longer period of time,

covering their eyes, but some attitudes never change. So, if

which destroys cellular components essential for the survival

you get an upturn in patients, you know who to blame.

and reproduction of that tumour.