The London Clinic’s experienced team of health and well-being therapists provide a full range of holistic services to help you relax and improve your quality of life. The complementary therapy service is well-established at The London Clinic and supports many people interested in using complementary therapies during their cancer treatments. All of our treatments are specifically tailored to suit your individual needs.
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As a charitable hospital, we reinvest in exceptional care, research and innovation - helping us improve healthcare for patients here and far beyond our walls.
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On this page
Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies offer a holistic approach to the health and well-being of our patients alongside clinical treatments. The treatments may help alleviate some of your symptoms and support in managing the side effects related to your treatment. Our therapists are professionally and clinically trained to work in harmony with your medical team to tailor the treatment to meet your individual needs.
We offer up to 4 free-of-charge treatments to our oncology patients, both for in-patients as well as those undergoing out-patient treatment. Appointments are also available from £30 per 15 minutes session.
Benefits:
- Improved sleep
- Ease aches, pains including headaches
- Increase energy levels
- Relieve dry skin and itching
- Ease side effects such as nausea, constipation and fatigue
- Support the immune system
- Increase circulation
- Feel relaxed
- Ease anxiety or feelings of panic
- Improved quality of life
Aromatherapy 15 mins-1hr
Aromatherapy is a method of using plants, fruits, woods, seeds, roots, leaves and flowers to create essential oils that improve health and well-being. Essential oils will be specifically chosen and blended with a carrier oil, wax or cream.
The oils have therapeutic properties of their own and can help side effects that may be troubling you. If you are interested in having essential oils added to your treatment, please speak with your therapist. A 24-hour patch test will need to be carried out before adding them to your treatment. This is to monitor for an allergic reaction to the essential oils.
Massage 15 mins-1hr
Gentle back massage can also be carried out through clothing, in which case no cream or oil is used. Outpatients have the opportunity to experience a full body massage if they wish and if it is deemed appropriate. Patients admitted to the ward will generally be offered a leg, foot, hand or arm massage or reflexology treatment. It is not always possible, or appropriate, to carry out back massage when patients are in bed on the ward. Please note that we do not carry out deep tissue massage.
Indian Head Massage 15 mins-1hr
This is a gentle massage focusing on the head and where appropriate, neck, shoulders and arms. The treatment is carried out through clothing so there is no need to undress and no oils or creams are used.
Reiki 15 mins-1hr
Reiki is energy. It is the pure, universal life force that flows through every living being. The treatment focuses on the transfer of natural healing energy via the therapist to the recipient, setting the intention to bring you to a state of balance and well-being on all levels. The treatment is non-invasive as it is carried out with you fully dressed. Reiki can help to promote self-healing by relaxing the body, releasing tension and strengthening the body’s own immune system.
Reflexology 15 mins-1hr
Reflexology is the technique of applying pressure to stimulate points on the feet and hands that correspond to all parts of the body. The principal of reflexology is that the feet and hands represent the whole body in miniature. Zone therapy is the foundation of modern reflexology. The therapist applies pressure or massage to specific areas of the feet or hands, stimulating the circulation and nerve impulses to promote well-being to the specified zones of the body. Loose fitting clothing is recommended for this treatment.
FAQs
If you would like more information about our health and well-being therapy services or wish to book, please call 02076167651. An informal chat can be arranged to help you decide on the most appropriate therapy for you. Occasionally it may not be appropriate for a patient to receive complementary therapy. The therapist will advise you if this is the case and you may be able to receive therapy at a later date.
On the wards, treatment times vary from fifteen minutes to a maximum of one hour. This will be dependent on the therapy used and the physical condition of the patient.
We also have a dedicated therapy room where we offer booked appointments of up to one hour for patients attending the clinic for chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other outpatient consultations. After the session
Patients are advised to have a drink of water after a complementary therapy session. You may feel very sleepy and want to rest for a while – this is normal. On other occasions, you may feel more alert and energetic after treatment.
At the first session the therapist may ask questions about how you are feeling, what clinical treatment you are undergoing, what medication you are taking and any side effects or symptoms you may be experiencing. These questions form a necessary part of helping the therapist make an informed decision as to the most appropriate therapy to offer you.
You may need to remove items of clothing in order to receive certain treatments. During the session you may sit up or lie down, whichever is most comfortable for you. If you have any questions relating to any well-being therapies, please ask your therapist who will be happy to answer them.
We offer Fixed Price Packages
Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
- Pre-op assessment
- Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
- Tests, scans and physio during your stay
- Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
- Post-op follow-up appointments
- Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
- Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
- Initial consultation and any tests done during it
- Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
- Physio or therapy before or after your stay
- Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
- Specialist medication beyond 5 days
- Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics
Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions
Why choose The London Clinic?
Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.
The UK’s largest independent hospital
More patients choose The London Clinic than any other.
Top-rated by real patients
4.86/5 from over 1,600 reviews on Doctify and over 4.5 on Google.
Full intensive care on-site
World-class 13-bed ICU for expert support if your care becomes complex.
Investing in clinical excellence
Backed by Northwestern, we equip our teams with cutting-edge medical equipment.
0% Finance Options
We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.
Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.