Clinical Psychology in Palliative Care - Information on seeing a clinical psychologist working in the Addenbrooke’s Palliative Care Team

Information on seeing a clinical psychologist working in the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Palliative Care Team.

The Specialist Palliative Care Team is a multi-professional team who can offer support, help, and advice to you and your family if you are experiencing life-threatening illness. When you are referred to the team, you may see different professionals such as a clinical nurse specialist, medical consultant, occupational therapist or clinical psychologist. This leaflet gives a summary of how the clinical psychologist in the team may be able to help you.

Who are clinical psychologists?

Clinical psychologists are trained and qualified to help people with a range of concerns that may be affecting their emotional or psychological health. They aim to work with people to reduce distress and enhance psychological well-being, and have a good understanding of the links between physical and psychological health.

Psychologists are not medically trained and will not prescribe medications.

What could a clinical psychologist help you with?

Living with a medical condition, undergoing treatments, and dealing with the impact on your life and your loved ones, can be challenging. It is normal to experience a wide range of emotions and responses at such a difficult time.

Clinical psychologists in the palliative care team may be able to help you if you are experiencing distress associated with your diagnosis, symptoms or treatment.

They can help with a wide range of concerns, including:

• Coping with challenging symptoms or side-effects of your illness or treatments
• Adjusting to change, loss or uncertainty
• Managing worries, anxieties or fears about your health
• Feeling low or depressed
• Making decisions about treatment
• Managing the impact of illness on personal relationships and intimacy
• Feeling less confident or unhappy about the way you look
• If you are unsure whether a clinical psychologist could help with the difficulties you are experiencing, please do discuss this with the team.

Some people may find it useful to speak to a clinical psychologist and your health care professional may have suggested this to you. Everybody will have different reasons for seeing a psychologist, and below are just a few examples:

• Support with managing difficult to treat physical symptoms, such as pain, breathlessness, fatigue or nausea and vomiting
• Coping with feelings of fear and uncertainty, about the future for example
• Feelings of anxiety, low mood and depression
• Adjusting to change and loss

Some people will want to meet with a psychologist on their own, but it can also be helpful to meet with family members or friends depending on your wishes and circumstances. Clinical psychologists in the palliative care team will also work closely with other professionals who are supporting you.

What happens when you meet a clinical psychologist?

When a person is being treated in hospital as as an inpatient, the clinical psychologist will often see them at their bedside, or if possible, in a private room.

For people coming to hospital as an outpatient, the psychologist will arrange to see them in an outpatient clinic room or arrange a telephone or video call.

A clinical psychologist aims to provide a safe and non-judgemental space to talk through your experiences. At an initial appointment, they will talk to you about the difficulties you are experiencing, the ways in which you are coping, and about the thoughts and feelings that you are noticing. They will aim to develop a shared understanding of any difficulties in order to plan together the most appropriate support. This may involve arranging further appointments, sharing self-help resources, or sign-posting to other services. Ongoing work together might involve strategies to manage painful feelings, exploring thought patterns, thinking about relationships with others, and considering changes that could be helpful.

What will happen to the information shared with a clinical psychologist?

Clinical psychologists follow the same rules of confidentiality as all hospital staff. They are part of the clinical team and will routinely communicate with doctors and other health professionals involved in a person’s care. Psychologists will always record details of their meetings on your electronic notes. There are occasions when information has to be shared more widely with relevant professionals, such as when a person is believed to be at risk of harming themselves or another person. If you have any concerns about the sharing of sensitive information, please do discuss this with the professional involved in your care.

Contact and further information

If you require further information please contact:

Dr Katie Byron
HCPC Registered and Chartered Clinical Psychologist in Palliative Care
Box 63
Elsworth House
Addenbrooke's Hospital
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 2QQ

Tel: 01223 274404