Reptiles are being used to help patients improve their wellbeing at a mental health trust.
Geckos, bearded dragons, tortoises and snakes are all part of a reptile‑assisted therapy programme running on wards at the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust in Maidstone.
In partnership with the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, the sessions have already supported 70 patients.
Trust staff member Vikki Buxton-Helyer, who leads the sessions and volunteers at the reptile centre, said patients reported that “they find the animals really calming”.