Needle phobia is very common, affecting at least one in 10 people, and is nothing to be ashamed of. For many people, the fear of needles is linked to feeling faint. When the fear is triggered (e.g. seeing blood or a needle), heart rate & blood pressure increase, but then rapidly drop.

Help is available from KeepingWellNEL: a free confidential wellbeing support service for health and social care staff in

North East London. You can speak to one of the team who can support you in overcoming this fear or visit their website for more information.