Clinical Health Psychology Services (CHPS)
Please note we are not an emergency mental health service. We are unable to respond to any urgent mental heath concerns. If you are in crisis, call 111 option 2 for mental health, contact your GP or please attend your local A&E Service.
Clinical Health Psychology services (CHPS)
Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness or chronic painful condition, experiencing a sudden physical trauma such as a heart attack or stroke, or having to undergo painful or complex medical and surgical procedures are associated with very high levels of psychological distress (Johnston, 1998).
About the CHPS service
Our Clinical Health Psychology Service at NELFT is composed of a dedicated and experienced group of psychological therapists, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, a range of trainees from accredited course, such as the North Thames doctoral clinical psychology programme and the Masters in Dramatherapy at Roehampton University, and other professional groups.
Our Clinical Health psychological therapists work in both acute hospital and community settings and offer assessment and evidence-based treatment of psychological difficulties directly related to physical health conditions. Some patients have both co-morbid physical health and mental health difficulties.
Our service model
Our service model includes offering the following:
- Direct assessment and therapeutic work with patients, individually, with families, carers or in groups.
- Work in teams, including consultation, advice and supervision of non-psychological staff (such as London Cancer Alliance approved Level 2 supervision), staff support and joint clinical work with other
professionals.
- Teaching and training staff in the application of psychological principles to improving health care, e.g. detecting anxiety and depression in patients, application of cognitive-behavioural therapy principles to practice and communication skills.
- Work at Clinical Service, Directorate or Trust level to develop policies, procedures or interventions that enhance the quality of psychological and physical care given to patients and staff e.g. management of staff stress and promoting well-being.
- Research and evaluation. Clinical Health psychological therapists are active in NELFT research and play a leading role in research and audit activities.
CHPS helpful links
IAPT
IAPT provides psychological input to clients with various long term physical health conditions, functional symptoms, chronic pain, low mood/depression and/or anxiety. Clients can be transferred between IAPT and specialist clinical health psychological services depending on where their needs can best be met. This can be decided on a case- by -case discussion. Either service may refer the client on to secondary care mental health services if their needs can better be met there. Please visit the website at NHS England » Adult Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme
Samaritans
Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen or call 116 123 for free.
Kooth
Visit Kooth, an online mental wellbeing community for young people at https://www.kooth.com/
Meet the CHPS team
Role definitions
HCPC registered Practitioner psychologists
Psychology is the scientific study of people, the mind and behaviour. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behaviour.
CHPS has registered psychologists from following areas/domains of practice:
- Clinical psychologists
- Counselling psychologists
Please see the following HCPC document on Standards of proficiency for practitioner psychologists:
http://www.hcpc-uk.co.uk/assets/documents/10002963SOP_Practitioner_psychologists.pdf
Psychotherapist
A healthcare professional who works with people delivering talking therapies over a long-term period to help them bring about effective change or enhance their well-being.
Counsellor
A healthcare professional who helps people talk about their feelings and to deal with personal or psychological problems.
Assistant Psychologist
A healthcare professional under the direct supervision of a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist who helps support people with mental health problems.
Administration Co-ordinator
A professional who provides business support to clinical and non-clinical staff.