Innovation – Colour Breathing® and CBRT™

Innovation in the UK health service 

“Innovation has a vital role to play if the NHS is to continue to improve outcomes for patients and deliver value for money. The challenge for the NHS is to achieve the systematic adoption and spread of innovation – it is therefore crucial that best practice, innovative ways of working and new technologies are not only identified and adopted locally; but are shared and spread across the NHS.”

CBRT NHS Training Initiative Overview – (section from document October 2012)

CBRT™ (Colour Breathing Relaxation Technique) provides individuals from all backgrounds with a comprehensive, very effective and easy to learn “Relaxation Support Technique” (CBRT RSS).  A patent holding, UK invention, CBRT has been in consistent and progressive development stages since 1997. What started out as a simple idea as a self-help relaxation book kit  using Colour Breathing Disks as a focus tool, was soon discovered  to aid individuals and peer groups experiencing low to moderate depression and anxiety disorders. A series of one day workshops in 2002 within two years became a Practitioner Training Programme recognised by the BCMA (British Complementary Medicine Association.

Patients are provided with a “Colour Breathing Disks Easel Chart” as a visual tool to focus on (also see image on top of front page) containing a set of seven coloured disks whilst a) becoming aware of their natural breathing pattern and b) relaxing their body in seven stages. The product is very safe to use, being of printed matter.

The seven “Colour Breathing Disks®” have been specially designed with subtle gradient effects for individuals to use with ease. They are a physical item to see and hold, yet visual point of focus, for individual and group led relaxation support sessions. Individuals enjoy using CBRT as a relaxation technique and using colour as a means of expressing how they feel.

The Initial Colour Breathing® Trials of 1999 – 2000  involved over 120 members of the public engaged in a controlled comparison trial in the use of the Colour Breathing Disks and visualisation. Research has since involved training a wide group of mental health, education and complementary professionals – the majority from within the UK, who have provided valuable case studies and feedback. Their valuable data includes a wide range of presented conditions and social care case studies including insomnia, GAD, the full spectrum for depression including PTSD and suicide tendencies.

CBRT is a practical, low cost, simple and versatile innovation. In March 2011, CBRT scored 92.53% with the NHS National Innovation Centre Technology Scorecard. The CBRT NHS Training Initiative is Patient-centred, recovery focused and promotes Self-Care.

NHS Staff will be trained in the delivery of structured and effective CBRT Relaxation Support Sessions to individuals or groups of between 5 – 20 Patients at a time, within 30 – 45 minutes.

NHS Staff will be able to use CBRT to engage with individuals or groups of Patients as part of their existing work schedule. This Training Initiative provides training for 25 members of staff with 5 receiving a further two day “Train the Trainer” programme – to enable the future training of your staff for CBRT Training Programmes.

CBRT is a Mind-Body Relaxation Technique  which combines breathing techniques,  Mindfulness approach, positive thinking, self-help and guided self-help , MBSR (Mindfulness –based stress reduction) , Mind-body interventions , creative visualisation , meditation, group therapy ,  anxiety breathing techniques (including controlled breathing)  all supported by NHS Evidence as being beneficial components to mental health, preventative health and wellbeing programmes.  (The aim of controlled breathing is to slow down your breathing and heart rate, relax tension in the muscles, quieten the mind and empty it of worrying thoughts.)

There are many associated benefits having staff able to deliver structured CBRT Relaxation Support Sessions available to both Patients and NHS Staff. Feedback from existing CBRT Practitioners is very positive, with CBRT being a popular and effective relaxation technique for men, women and children of all abilities who wish to lead healthier lives. CBRT is simple and safe to use (being non invasive or pharmacy lead) and encourages dialogue.  Working with the Patients and their becoming involved in the selection of their own affirmations and positive thinking is both popular and beneficial.

The proactive management of people with long-term conditions, including the promotion of self-care by patients, is a key priority for the NHS. CBRT provides active support for a positive approach to management of long term conditions and primary prevention through focusing on a natural relaxation process for better self care.

2. Current mental health provision status within the NHS.

“Mental illness ‘under-treated by NHS’ ” (18.06.12) is a report carried in the NHS Choices website . The report was written by the London School of Economics Centre for Economic Performance  Mental Health Policy Group Think Tank. The report, How Mental Illness Loses Out in the NHS was produced by a distinguished team of economists, psychologists, doctors and NHS managers convened by Professor Lord Layard of the LSE Centre for Economic Performance.

The report says that mental illness is widespread and is generally more debilitating than most chronic physical conditions. The researchers report that a third of all families in Britain have a family member with mental illness. Additionally, nearly half of all ill health in those younger than 65 years is due to mental illness and only a quarter of those needing treatment receive it.
The report estimates that 6 million adults have depression or anxiety and 700,000 children have a mental health disorder. The report also found that mental health problems account for nearly half of absenteeism at work and a similar proportion of people on incapacity benefits.

ii.   Another report in Mental Health -  “Patchy Progress shown for Mental Health Treatment” states that according to the official IAPT statistics, of the six million people in England who have depression or anxiety problems, only 2% received talking therapies between April and June 2011. Of these:

  • 210,540 were referred for psychological therapies
  • 123,065 entered treatment
  • 92,638 are waiting more than 28 days for treatment

iii.  The “NICE Guideline on the Treatment and Management of Depression in Adults” (2010, page 293) states: “Low-intensity interventions are clinically and cost effective for subthreshold depressive symptoms and mild depression, and therefore are to be preferred over individual and group CBT (and other high-intensity psychological interventions) as the initial treatment for subthreshold depressive symptoms and mild depression. Group CBT is an effective treatment for mild depression but, given the duration of the group and the staffing of such groups, it was viewed on cost-minimisation grounds as less cost effective than low-intensity interventions but more cost effective than individual CBT, and so was placed between them in the stepped-care model.”

With stress and anxiety affecting many millions of people in the current economic climate, mild to moderate mental health needs require support. The provision of CBRT Relaxation Support Sessions used as a health and social care interface is a practical and common sense approach to the above situation which can also support a diverse population, with individual and community support service needs. CBRT received an extremely positive and excellent response from NHS management attending the DH Healthcare Innovation Expo 2011 – which has resulted in this CBRT NHS Initiative being written.

Provider groups will benefit having an effective solution and providing an additional Patient Care based service – to quickly increase capacity to care – for the growing numbers of individuals and groups requiring mental health and wellbeing support.  Staff undertaking the Training Programme will benefit from feeling valued through having CPD training and enhanced skill sets. All NHS Staff will benefit from provision of CBRT RSS in their place of work, whether they work in the offices or A & E.

Research and Development History
The Colour Breathing Disks® and technique have been developed by Alison Bourne since 1997. Prior to this she had a commercial background which included Wines & Spirits to Master of Wine level – which is where she learnt about colour, Retail and Wholesale Management, National Project Management to Board Level, New Product Development and Own Label /National Grocery Buying. As a National Buyer she had a positive approach to buying commodities at best prices national chains often couldn’t achieve. After three years experience in new product development Alison had developed the competence, commercial knowledge and experience necessary to be able to create market and test the Colour Breathing concept.

Inventors have a vision and the last 14 years work and dedication  have culminated in the creation of Colour Breathing Relaxation Technique® (CBRT) widely recognised as being a visual form of Mindfulness, as a new and valued approach to mental health and well being. Colour Breathing® is now ready for international launch as an innovative solution to stress management, with high standards with the quality range of products ready for a worldwide mass market with huge sales and market potential.

Following a sudden family bereavement to cancer in 1991, Alison re-trained at weekends for 2 years and left paid employment to become an Aromatherapist and Palliative Care Therapist. Within two years she became the first complementary therapist and key team member in her local hospice in the New Forest, Hampshire. It was during this time she became aware of a gap in the market for a product which Patients could use to help themselves relax. Working closely with doctors and nurses within a hospice environment provided her with deep insight into the many different forms of stress and anxiety and  the often devastating ripple effect it could have on close family members and friends.

Since 1997 Colour Breathing has achieved several notable milestones: 

  • 2 years for initial product design creation of pilot disks, trials and research to production stage. Offered book publishing contract with first publisher contacted – Collins & Brown, in London. Decided to self-publish book as they wanted to “change” the colours of the Colour Breathing Disks – to save on print costs. This would have invalidated 2 years research so pulled out.
  • 18 months search for printer who could produce the products to the desired quality at a commercially viable price
  • 2000 – First UK Patent granted. Now a Brand in its own right -trademarked invention /apparatus – with technological potential.
  • 2001 – Met Composer of Music for Colour Breathing CD Gerald Jay Markoe in New York. Took book drafts to Chicago Book Fair, APA Book Fair Sydney, and Frankfurt Book Fair.
  • 2001 – Book foreword written by Mr. Michael Dooley, first edition published in 2002.
  • Colour Breathing accepted by the UK Publishers Association.
  • 4 years presence at the Frankfurt Book Fair resulting in Alison connecting with an extremely valued publishing mentor with over 30 years experience and worldwide contacts.
  • 2002 – initial publishing print run and talks given about products in Denver, Sydney, London
  • 2002 – Colour Breathing joins Publishers Association visit to Singapore and Australia.
  • 2002 – First meeting at Leeds University – Colour Science
  • 2002 – 2004 development of the two day certified training programme
  • 2003 – meet Professor Arnold Wilkins who designed coloured overlays for dyslexia, Essex University
  • 2004 Colour Breathing is recognised by the BCMA as being a bonafide complementary therapy in the UK
  • 2004  – Colour Breathing at ISMA (International Stress management Association) London conference
  • First contact with Professor Terry Looker & Dr. Olga Gregson, Manchester University
  • Mainstream mental health sector status and endorsements from mental health experts
  • 2004 – 2006 Colour Breathing used in schools as part of the Discovery Project.
  • 2004  – Colour Breathing Practitioner Training Programmes held in Portsmouth, Wales
  • 2005 – Colour Breathing Practitioner Training Programmes held in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Wales, London, Northern Ireland and Sydney Australia
  • 2005 – 2008 – Franchising  format explored and developed but proved to be the wrong vehicle for Colour Breathing*
  • 2006 – Meeting at Oxford University Faculty of the Mind – Colour Breathing is a form of technology.
  • Successful Pilot Training Licence with “Action Mental Health – Northern Ireland 2006 – 2007
  • 2008 – Colour Breathing initial visit to Arizona and US Trademarks granted.
  • 2009 – 2010 Colour Breathing two visits to Qatar; preparations started on upgrading of Colour Breathing into CBRT.
  • 2009 – Gerald Jay Markoe sadly passes away; Composer Terry Oldfield agrees to write new compositions.
  • 2010 – GWIIN BFIIN Awards Cardiff
  • 2009 – 2011 Further R & D CBRT Training Programmes held in Hampshire
  • 2011 – CBRT showcases to the NHS at DH Health Care Innovation Expo at London Excel Centre
  • 2011 – CBRT NHS Pilot Initiative drafted
  • 2011 – New website created.
  • 2011 – New version of CBRT Training Programme prepared for CPD Accreditation and ISO : 13485 standards
  • 2012 – CBRT completes NHS NIC (National Innovation Centre) Technology Scorecard Process with score of 92.53%.
  • 2013 – The Francis Report is published and NHS England starts 1st April 2013.

As any business person will tell you, Colour Breathing has not been without its fair share of major obstacles, challenges and individuals to overcome, including: (you simply couldn’t make some of these  up!)

  1. Having work copied in 2002 by a multimillionaire Korean who is based in Arizona…They say having your work copied is a form of flattery, but not when it prevents you from signing a US co-edition contract worth a 6 figures sum and then losing that opportunity due to having to take legal action to protect your IPR rights. The plagiarised “work” was first seen by Alison at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2002 and it took 3 years and expensive legal proceedings to get the individual to cease and de-sist in 2005 – but he never paid Alison or the company any compensation. (We also estimate the individual gained ≥ $2million USD out of the initial US sales during his 17 state US launch – which is why CBRT USA is to be based in Arizona.)
  2. Individual(s) who signed franchise agreements and did not deliver*.
  3. A Saudi based financial advisor and investor who after 4 months negotiations, signed documents to invest £250,000 – but after due diligence didn’t actually have any money himself.
  4. Legal steps taken to warn a Colour Therapist stalker.
  5. Since the 2008 banks collapse CBRT have met financial investment “experts” whose claims are unbelievable.

    We are very grateful to all the individuals and companies who have supported and continue to support the development of Colour Breathing® since 1997.

References

CBRT™ Colour Breathing Relaxation Technique® – an easy to use relaxation aid for mental health, mindfulness & well being

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2013-05-21 10:11:04