The John Eastwood Hospice has been at the forefront of integrating Virtual Reality technology to enhance the quality of life for patients with a terminal illness.

Headsets enable patients at the Sutton hospice to immerse themselves in clips for up to 15 minutes, such as relaxing on a beach, or engaging in an experience like swimming with dolphins, or viewing the Northern Lights.

The headsets have been developed by Sync VR Medical and bought by the John Eastwood Hospice Charity Trust for its Living Well Centre.

Over the past year the centre has delivered the innovative intervention to 20 patients, including those in the inpatient unit. Carers and relatives have also been included in the experience through a connected tablet, making it a shared journey.

Patient and family feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with patients being “more calm and relaxed” and feeling as though they have been “transported to another world.”

Dr Sanchia Biswas, lead clinical psychologist in Palliative Care at the hospice, said: This has been a fantastic project to be part of. It has been great to see what a positive impact it has had on our patients and their families.

The VR experience has also improved physical abilities. For example, a patient was needing to use medication for medical interventions such as stretches, but after he opted to use VR during the session he was able to reduce the amount of medication required.

Additionally, it has sparked significant memories for patients, relatives and carers, helping them to reconnect with meaningful life experiences.

Amy Eagle, care group director for Community Services at Nottinghamshire Healthcare, which manages the facility with the John Eastwood Hospice Trust, added: “It is brilliant to see what the team at the hospice have achieved with this project.

“They’re always looking at how best to support their patients and families, and this provides them with an opportunity to experience something that can bring some joy to their day during a really difficult time.”

The Living Well Centre is now collaborating with the Clinical Psychology team at the hospice to research the broader benefits of VR in palliative care, particularly its impact on the physical and psychological health of terminally ill patients and their overall wellbeing.