Fluffy robot seals are being used for mental health care at a UK hospital

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust is piloting PARO, a seal-like therapeutic robot, in outpatient mental health clinics.

The goal is to see whether the robot helps patients feel calmer, more comfortable, and more engaged during appointments.

The trust will study which patients benefit most and how the robot should be used in practice.

If successful, the trial could support wider use in other services, including learning disability and dementia care.