The FHT Blog

FHT Website

Category: Health

  • Dates announced for National Massage Day and Pro-Touch Awareness Month

    It has recently been announced that National Massage Day (NMD) is to be held on 1 October, from 2018 onwards. Originally hosted by Gill Tree, NMD is now owned by Liz Badger, founder of The Therapist Business Club, who has launched a new Pro-Touch Awareness Month, to coincide with the same start date. In collaboration…

  • New UK health secretary supports plans to increase social prescription

    On Friday Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, addressed an audience in Manchester at NHS Expo, supporting plans to dramatically increase social prescription as ‘growing evidence’ suggests that encouraging patients to lead sociable, healthier lives could relieve pressure on the NHS. Social prescribing – sometimes referred to as community referral –…

  • Mindfulness improves sleep in fibromyalgia patients

    Researchers at the University of Derby have conducted the first-ever study focusing on exploring the effects of mindfulness for improving sleep in individuals with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a chronic and debilitating pain condition that affects approximately three percent of adults. In addition to generalised all-over body pain and various cognitive difficulties, sleep problems are a core symptom of the condition.…

  • Turmeric extract could be used to help treat glaucoma

    Glaucoma is a common eye condition affecting the optic nerve, where it becomes damaged because fluid builds up in the front part of eye. This increases pressure inside the eye and can lead to loss of vision if it isn’t treated early. Eye drops containing curcumin, an extract from turmeric, could be used to treat…

  • Impact of social media on the young to be examined

    How social media helps or harms children’s mental health is to be examined by leading experts in social geography and mental health from the Universities of Portsmouth and Sheffield. Professor Liz Twigg, in the Department of Geography at Portsmouth, has been awarded funding from the charity MQ to carry out the first long-term study of…

  • Action for Happiness promotes altruism this August

    Action for Happiness hopes to spread selfless goodwill this month, with its ‘Altruistic August’ action calendar. The movement publishes monthly calendars, offering daily affirmations on the theme of the respective month. ‘Altruistic August’ follows ‘Jump Back July’, ‘Joyful June’, ‘Meaningful May’, ‘Active April’, ‘Mindful March’, ‘Friendly February’ and ‘Happy January.’ Suggestions for this month include…

  • Big Ideas for Better Health Awards

    Have you seen how innovative healthcare ideas have had a remarkable impact on the lives of patients within the NHS? AbbVie’s ‘Big Ideas for Better Health’ Awards are free to enter and open to all UK NHS organisations and patient groups. Winners will receive a grant for £3,000 to extend their project or take it…

  • Radio interview – massage for people with dementia

    As the headline sponsor of Chamberlain Dunn’s Complementary Therapy Awards, the FHT has been invited to put forward industry experts to promote the health benefits of complementary therapy on UK Health Radio. This week, FHT member and accredited course provider, Nicolle Mitchell, talked to Duncan Ellison about how massage and positive touch can benefit those…

  • NHS to remove patient access to 17 ‘unnecessary procedures’ to cut costs

    NHS England has proposed to stop funding 17 procedures that are considered unnecessary to save money within the health service. These procedures are said to lack supporting evidence on their effectiveness and cost around £400m every year. The main procedures that would lose this funding are dilatation and curettage for heavy menstrual bleeding in women; knee…

  • Herbalist garden wins silver at Hampton Court Flower show

    A garden that promotes the role of plants and herbs in health has won a silver medal at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Anton Chekhov’s Garden, designed by Anna Benn and Hannah Gardner, is based on the country estate near Moscow, where Chekhov, one of Russia’s most notable writers, wrote his famous…

  • Action for Happiness jump back this July

    This month Action for Happiness urges us to take a step back by learning how to be resilient and cope with life’s ups and downs. The movement publishes monthly calendars, offering daily affirmations on the theme of the respective month. ‘Jump Back July’ follows ‘Joyful June’, ‘Meaningful May’, ‘Active April’, ‘Mindful March’, ‘Friendly February’ and…

  • NHS celebrates 70th birthday

    On 5 July 1948 Aneurin Bevan, UK Health Secretary of the post-War Labour government, launched the National Health Service (NHS). He saw his vision realised, to have an overarching healthcare system that linked hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians and dentists, and was free for all at the point of delivery. Today the NHS celebrates its 70th…