6 7 “This work is deeply meaningful”– meet our psychological professionals When a patient visits one of our hospitals for an appointment – such as a plastic surgery consultation, a kidney transplant assessment, or ear, nose and throat checkup – there’s one medical professional many don’t expect to meet. A team of around 60 psychological professionals work within a range of services to provide psychological support for those receiving care for physical health issues, and it can be surprising for patients to see them. We spoke to several team members to shine a light on what being a psychological professional is all about. Working within a range of services Our psychological professionals can be found in 23 different services across the trust. Elissa Myers, clinical psychologist, has worked in the intensive care unit (ICU) at BH for four years. Describing her role, she said: “I support patients, families and carers with the emotional impact of being in ICU – including intensive care delirium, which is common after patients wake up after being intubated or on ventilation. I help them make sense of the missing patch of time and make them feel safe.” Consultant health psychologist Sarah Afuwape works in renal services and is there for patients experiencing kidney failure, dialysis or transplants. “With transplant patients, we assess whether they are ready for transplant, what their motivation is and if they have any misconceptions” Sarah said. “If there are any barriers to them receiving a transplant, we help them work through them.” Clinical psychologist Saara Cavanagh works in plastic surgery at the RFH. She shared: “I’ve seen patients who have lost fingers or ears, undergone breast reconstruction or who have skin conditions – we help them adjust to these visible changes in their appearances and support their physical recovery.” Mehnaz Chaudhury, senior psychotherapist, supports elderly patients during their hospital stays. She said: “I help patients understand how their unconscious thoughts or past experiences are affecting their hospital stay. A lot of the time, patients can have unresolved trauma that becomes too overwhelming when they’re admitted to hospital.” “Sometimes patients can ask why they’re seeing us,” Saara commented. “In plastics, I explain that we’re there to support them as a whole person, not just their injury or surgical procedure. We also help them build trust with medical teams.” “When I’m asked to see a patient, some will say ‘I’m not doo-lally!’,” Mehnaz recalled. “I have to reassure them that I’m not there to assess their state of mind – I help them understand why they’re feeling afraid or anxious and help to take some of their pain away.” Esther Hansen is the joint lead for psychological therapies at the trust. She explained: “One of the most important things for patients to understand is that struggling with what is happening is not a sign of struggling mentally. It’s normal – but it’s most important to understand what someone can do to help themselves through treatment and recovery.” Honouring patient stories Hearing their stories and helping patients feel understood is an important aspect of the psychologists’ work. Shimu Allen is the lead clinical psychologist at the Ian Charleson Day Centre (ICDC), which supports over 3,000 patients who have HIV or AIDs. “The biggest challenge our patients face is stigma,” said Shimu. “I often use narrative therapy to help individuals stand up against this and challenge stigma. Storytelling is really powerful as it’s important for patients to share how they’ve managed over the years.” Mehnaz recalled a particular patient’s story: “I went to see a patient who wouldn’t agree with her disability diagnosis. It transpired she felt betrayed by her body. Although changing circumstances meant she was finally in a position to live her own life, her legs had given up on her which was hard for her to accept. I helped her come to terms with the reality of her situation.” Collaboration is key Multidisciplinary working is key for the team – and for improving patients’ quality of life. Consultant clinical psychologist Jolyon Poole works with patients living with chronic pain conditions at Edgware Community Hospital. He highlighted the importance of collaborating with medical colleagues to deliver integrated care: “Our multidisciplinary approach helps enhance outcomes for our patients, as well as reducing the number of appointments and improving their experience. “Most of our patients have significant comorbidities, such as post-traumatic stress disorder where they might experience flashbacks of how their pain developed, such as an assault or road traffic accident. We now offer trauma-focused therapy within the pain service as a way of supporting their engagement in pain management.” Why do I need to see a psychologist? “ “ “Since the pandemic, there has been more focus around psychological support, especially in ICUs. We’re seeing psychologists embedded in health areas all the time now, which is important,” Elissa shared. “You can’t separate the body and the mind,” Shimu said. “They interact with one another and that support allows patients to manage their health issues and live a better quality of life. And it’s not just working with patients – sometimes we get asked to support colleagues or teams too.” Shared learning Alice Nyabb is a trainee clinical psychologist, who requested to work at the RFH for her six-month placement. She said: “It’s fascinating work and I’m a sucker for understanding the medical side of things – I’ve already observed a surgery. It’s really enriching.” Nick Carrager, clinical psychologist in ICDC, said: “Working so closely with doctors, nurses and health advisors, we all learn something. Medical staff get upskilled in psychology and we learn more about medical approaches.” Finding fulfillment Sarah shared: “In renal, it’s about small wins. Our patients have a chronic condition – they go through different stages, but to make a difference in a single stage is really rewarding.” “This work is both humbling and deeply rewarding,” Jolyon said. “When I first started my psychology career, I used to worry about speaking to patients who had chronic pain – I felt helpless and didn’t know how best to support them. But over the years, I’ve seen how pain management services can support patients to reconnect with meaningful activity.” “Our training is intense – we have to work on ourselves before we take on someone else’s trauma,” Mehnaz said. “But I love it. This work is deeply meaningful, and I’m privileged to be able to work with patients in this way.” Renal and liver psychology colleagues Members of the ICDC psychology team Elissa Myers Jolyon Poole
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