PATIENTS worrying about their medical treatment at Kidderminster Hospital are being helped by a futuristic approach which transports them to another world.

A virtual reality headset is proving a great success with those suffering from a needle phobia or general anxiety and can be used throughout the patient pathway to calm patients.

They find themselves immersed in a completely different setting which includes being on a beach, swimming underwater, walking in a forest, or visiting foreign countries with tours of world-famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower.

After a three-month trial which brought extremely positive feedback, the equipment was purchased for £7,500 by the League of Friends hospital charity.

The headset provides a distraction for patients, particularly children, while they are undergoing medical procedures and can be used instead of anaesthetics in some cases.

Tammie Mason, the manager of Kidderminster Ward One, said: “It is a magnificent piece of kit that has been well received by a wide range of patients.

“It has also been proven to reduce the levels of pain during post-op recovery.”

She added that she hoped the headset would eventually provide anxious patients with a ‘virtual walk round’ of the hospital as part of their pre-treatment assessment to help them understand what lies ahead.