WTF! NHST wasting money on reiki

[IfIShouldFallFromGraceWithGod]

www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/?vac_ref=915664952&fbclid=IwAR2aiGphck3SIarwSkxn4THBxpCFTFG7OAqOlXk435huO2zG7JLcQg2LlqE

Who are we to say there isn't some higher energy that science can't "prove" YET?! Scientific understanding changes constantly. Why oh why people are arrogant enough to think we know everything is beyond me.

Because there is no evidence to suggest it does anything beyond placebo, ie. Something tangible and measurable.

I think the placebo effect is exciting in itself.

I've studied reiki level 1 & 2. I can treat my friends and send distance healing. I'm not a Dr or trained in medicine however reiki works for people. It slows their mind and heals from inside out. You might like to try it then you coukd apply for the job and help people relax with the weight of their illness on their shoulders. Nothing is a waste of money to those that benefit. See you all on the reiki masters course

My Granny was a spiritualist and taught me some pain relieving techniques so I don't scoff and I do not doubt this helps some people. It still doesn't sit well to be funded by NHS.

Shall we start having homeopathy on prescription as well?

Pretty sure it's gone now, but there was an NHS homeopathic hospital in Glasgow for years. They were involved in trialling mistletoe for breast cancer at one point.

I thought Reiki was an absolute pile of shite until I was gifted a session. Went a long as DH had spent a lot of money on the session. Lay there and spent a lot of the time thinking WTF. It was relaxing but felt like just nothing until suddenly it wasn't just nothing and this really immense pressure came out the top of my head and I felt so much better. It was painful, can still remember the same feeling years later as it was so unique. If I had cash to splash I'd go back!

Pretty sure it's gone now, but there was an NHS homeopathic hospital in Glasgow for years. They were involved in trialling mistletoe for breast cancer at one point.

It’s still around. It’s called the Centre for Integrative Care. They do mistletoe therapy amongst other things.

It’s earmarked for closure but still hanging on

I agree OP. It is a spiritual practice and therefore should not be promoted by the NHS unless they're promoting other spiritual things

I have bipolar, I was pretty ill last year. An important part of my treatment was the weekly qi gong and then tai chi sessions I had provided by occupational therapy. I'm sure if you look in journals then it wouldn't be mentioned but it was one of the few times I relaxed and my brain slowed down for a while. It was delivered by occupational therapists and assistants.

The NHS also funds chaplains.

I am surprised the reiki is funded directly by the NHS and not a cancer charity like Maggies though.

Well, speaking as a cancer patient, I'd be annoyed if Maggie's Centres were funding reiki sessions, too. As pps have said, relaxation classes are one thing; pretending something like reiki can "heal" is a load of nonsense.

looking at the job spec and one of the qualifications referenced, I wonder if the post is being funded by this charity:www.cancertherapies.org.uk/informationfornhstaff

As pps have said, relaxation classes are one thing; pretending something like reiki can "heal" is a load of nonsense.
That's the crucial bit.
If occupational therapy want to use tai chi as a method or any other gentle moment, relaxation technique then that's fine. It's delivered by appropriately qualified health professionals who aren't claiming tai chi has healing powers.

Ages ago one of my old neighbours did tai chi as part of something at the hospital supporting elderly people with falls risks.

The NHS also funds chaplains.

Good point. No evidence base there either.

It’s likely funded by a charity like Macmillan (but on NHS terms and conditions). Cancer charities pump huge amounts into posts like this, specifically because they do benefit patient wellbeing hugely during cancer treatment.

(I’m a NHS HR director.)

The 12 month fixed term contract is a bit of a giveaway that it’s nit NHS money funding it.

The NHS can’t spend charity money on anything except what the charity wants, so it’s nit money that could be used elsewhere.

My "reiki master" friend told me that someone did reiki on a car crash victim at the scene. The person's arm had been removed in the crash. She said that the reiki worked so well that it healed up the socket and the hospital were unable to reattach the arm because of how powerful the reiki was.

I mean, come on!

*not

titchy
Chaplains aren't claiming to heal people.
Chaplains aren't used as an alternative to therapy.
They provide emotional support for patients and families and difficult times for those of all faiths and none.
By all means, the role could be rewritten to be pastoral support officer. Same thing, just the chaplain also runs worship for those who are in hospital.

Our local hospital has a range of representatives from different faith communities who are available to come in as well and they're funded by their normal place of worship.

I don't see how a pastoral support position is comparable to 'let me align your energy' woowoo therapy as a clinical treatment.

MoreSlidingDoors
I hadn't considered that.
We get lots of 12 month fixed contracts in education and they're rarely chair funded. It hasn't occurred to me that would be like that in the NHS.

It seems a shame to me that where there is money available it's not being used on things that have been shown to benefit, and instead are giving legitimacy to spiritualist practices that tend to make grand claims about healing powers.

Nothing about the reiki offering is about healing. It’s about self care and calm. Lots of people don’t like to be touched, meaning massage/reflexology doesn’t relax them. If being in a low lit room with a softly spoken therapist for an hour makes someone feel better - and remember how important the mind is for resilience and healing - who cares what it’s called?

Chaplains aren't used as an alternative to therapy.

Neither is the role advertised....

I can understand something that actually involves touch, like massage or reflexology (which is basically a foot massage) I’m sure therapy’s where touch is involved have been proven to help people relax? I have a relative with terminal cancer who has been having reflexology through the Macmillan hospice who swears it helps her (she thought it was a load of tosh). However reiki doesn’t involve any touch does it?

Lots of people, cancer patient or not, dislike being touched. Reflexology is my idea of hell, but I love a deep tissue massage. H wouldn’t get a massage under any circumstances. And cancer patients may be uncomfortable with scaring after operations etc. I’ve had a reiki session with one of our therapists and it was relaxing, even though I’m as sceptical as it comes. It’s massage for those that don’t like to be touched.

giving legitimacy to spiritualist practices that tend to make grand claims about healing powers.

This is the danger. It’s all very well saying ‘well these people are dying anyway so if it make them feel better who cares’? But these alternative ‘healers’ do prey on sick peoples vulnerability, and I imagine there is little regulation of use in the normal population. For everyone who knows it’s just a relaxation technique, there could be another patient who believes that their condition may be made better or even cured by these charlatans and pay them money under false beliefs.

Auntie that's how I see it.

They’d be disciplined for making any such claims. Great care is taken to explain to patients what complementary therapy is about.