Closed petition PE1873: Provide hypnotherapy for the treatment of mental health, psychosomatic disorders and chronic pain

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to instruct the NHS to provide hypnotherapy for the treatment of mental health, psychosomatic disorders and chronic pain.

Previous action taken

I submitted a paper to Miles Briggs MSP who submitted it to Shona Robinson in February 2018. A response was received from her explaining that it was up to individual health boards to determine what treatments they will provide.

Background information

Hypnotherapy has been in use for over five thousand years, the earliest written records were found in Hieroglyphs in ancient Egyptian tombs dating to around 3000 BC.

In 1899 the British Medical Association (BMA) set up an investigation into hypnosis and found that it was both scientifically and medically proven as a sound healing modality and was in use by many doctors untill 1949 when the House of Lords made the following decision:

"It is not envisaged that the NHS will be dealing with Mental Health issues therefor Hypnotherapy, acupuncture and other holistic remedies should remain in the Private Sector"

Clearly the situation has changed.

Current talk therapies used by the NHS need a large number of sessions and have long waiting lists. Hypnotherapy can resolve issues in on average three sessions and are much longer lasting resolutions. The saving on drug medication would be more than enough to cover any costs and waiting times for treatment can be rapidly reduced.

  • Created by Graeme Harvey on behalf of the Scottish Hypnotherapy Foundation
  • Date closed 31 January 2022

This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament

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113 signatures