Relax and Restore FAQs

Why do people who have or have had cancer need a different treatment to others?

Cancer patients can have spa treatments, but the treatments may need to be adapted for a number of reasons. For instance, the therapist might need to take extra care or even avoid providing massage or reflexology to areas of the body where surgery has taken place. Also, cancer treatments can affect skin, hair and nails, and some essential oils can affect how well these drugs or therapies work.

That is why it is so important that a therapist has undergone specialist training and that any product used is known to be safe.

Why do some clinics decline to treat some people who have or have had cancer?

People who are undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment can have special needs. Under the current training and regulation of beauty therapists, therapists are not permitted to use traditional beauty techniques on people living with cancer unless that person can provide a letter from their GP approving treatment.

Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this when they book an appointment.

Also, some patients’ GPs are unwilling to sign off the beauty treatments, potentially because they do not have an understanding of the situation or they are aware of some restrictions on massage.

The benefit of our Relax & Restore range of treatments is that, because they are already approved, people do not need that letter to be treated by a trained therapist.

What is the difference between the cancer beauty therapy and standard therapy offered to all customers?

Our Relax & Restore treatments use a range a specifically designed techniques and products for the face, head, body, hands and feet that have been researched and approved for use on people living with or recovering from cancer.

All Nuffield Health beauty therapists providing the treatments have been trained on a three day course by the product’s manufacturers, Made for Life Foundation. This course is accredited by the Complementary Medical Association and was developed in close association with oncologists, surgeons, MacMillan Cancer and cancer specialists. The products used in our treatments have been used with people with cancer for the past 15 years.

Anyone can have the Relax & Restore treatments, but people living with or recovering from cancer can have the confidence that these treatments have been specifically designed with them in mind.

Will people with cancer still need a letter from their GP before they can receive treatment?

No. People do not need a letter from the GP to receive the Relax & Restore treatments at Nuffield Health. All Nuffield Health beauty therapists providing the treatments have been trained on a three day course by the product’s manufacturers, Made for Life Foundation. They will have passed written and practical exams to qualify them to offer these specific treatments without the need for consent from a doctor.

Safety concerns

What are the risks of someone with cancer having standard beauty therapy?

Cancer patients can have spa treatments, but the therapist may need to adapt what they do or provide. For instance, they may need to take extra care around areas of the body if providing massage or reflexology. In addition, cancer treatments can affect skin, hair and nails, so care needs to be taken with some spa treatments. And some essential oils can affect how well these drugs or therapies work.

Under the current training and regulation of beauty therapists, therapists are not permitted to use traditional beauty techniques on people living with cancer without that person providing a letter from their GP.

Our massage and beauty therapists who work with people with cancer have been through specialist training to achieve a qualification of cancer and its treatments. The course has been accredited by the Complementary Medical Association and has been endorsed by CIBTAC (Confederation of International Beauty Therapy and Cosmotology). Therapists completing the course gain 24 CPD (continual professional development) points.

What is the problem with massage?

Some people worry that a massage can cause cancer cells to spread to other parts of their body, but there is no evidence of this. There are some instances where patients should not have massage over certain areas of the body. For instance those who experience lymphoedema after lymph node removal, need to be very careful.

Our massage and beauty therapists who work with those customers with cancer have been through specialist trained and qualification. They have acquired knowledge of cancer and its treatments.

Is there any clinical benefit to people with cancer having beauty/massage therapy?

While there are no recorded medical benefits, clients report a reduction in stress levels, improved sleep patterns, a reduction in pain and an overall feeling of wellbeing after a treatment. Not needing GP consent means people going through cancer can enjoy treatments and experience the benefits of complete relaxation.

Service queries

Why are you offering this service?

We understand that people living with cancer may wish to have these types of treatments, but might not have been able to access them at our centres. That is what prompted us to invest in the training or our therapists so that we can offer treatments that people can feel confident receiving, and without the need for a doctor’s letter of consent. And to try to make these therapies more accessible.

We have worked out a reduced rate for these therapies for people who have or have had cancer. We are also exploring connections with other charities to see how we might be able to provide treatments to more people in a long-term sustainable way.

If Nuffield Health is a charity, why is the service not being offered for free?

We are a trading charity. This means we don’t seek donations or carry out fundraising, but raise income by charging for our services. We then re-invest all the income back into running and expanding our services.

So, unfortunately, providing these services for free is not an option if we wish to continue to operate in the long term. However, we have worked out a reduced rate for these therapies for people who have or have had cancer as we seek to make them as affordable as possible. We are also exploring connections with other charities to see how we might be able to provide treatments to more people in a long-term sustainable way.

Why are there two different prices for Cancer Touch Therapy e.g. Catch the Breath 25 minutes £38 / preferential rate £26?

We have worked out a reduced, not-for-profit rate for these therapies for people who have or have had cancer as we seek to make them as affordable as possible. Relax and Restore treatments are suitable for anyone, however. This means that if two people, including someone who is living with cancer, visit our Beauty Suites and they want to have the same treatment, they can.

What is to stop someone who doesn’t have cancer booking an appointment for beauty therapy at a reduced price?

Relax and Restore treatments are suitable for anyone, the difference for those living with cancer is the need to have treatments tailored to their specific situation. So before we provide any therapy, we ask our customers to complete a questionnaire. For our Relax & Restore range, we carry out a comprehensive consultation, which asks specific questions about their condition, treatment and symptoms.

Of course, there is nothing to prevent someone pretending to have had cancer in this consultation, but we would hope people would not do this.

Considering people undergoing treatment with cancer are often not able to travel for very long, have you considered making this a home visit service?

We are exploring this option. The treatments we offer are completely adaptable so can be given at the Beauty Suite, at home as well as at hospitals and hospices. We can adapt treatments for people that maybe bed bound or in a wheel chair. We endeavour to create a comfortable, warm and welcoming environment at our Beauty Suites, allowing people to completely relax.