What we do
As a small team of Clinical Psychologists and Counsellors, we are dedicated to supporting children, young people, adults and families living with a heart condition. We also work with parents who have an antenatal or postnatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease.
We see lots of different people every day and address many different needs such as:
– Coping when you find out about your or your child’s heart problem.
– Managing treatments and the challenges they may bring.
– Support in preparing for surgery or procedures.
– Managing emotions related to living with a heart condition.
Support can be provided in different ways, from general information guides and ‘top tips’, to meeting with families to talk about their specific difficulties. We provide face-to-face, telephone or video call appointments.
Referrals
Patients are usually referred to our service by their Clinical Nurse Specialist, Cardiologist or the ward team. If you ever feel you are struggling with your or your child’s heart condition, please get in touch with your Clinical Nurse Specialist, Ward Nurse or Cardiologist who can make the appropriate referral to our psychology team.
Sometimes when we meet patients and families, it becomes clear that they are managing their heart condition well, but there are other challenges they need support with. When this happens, we might not be able to provide ongoing support but we can ask other teams such as Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), Schools and Community Support to help with these difficulties.
We are not an emergency response/crisis service
If you require urgent professional support or advice, please request an urgent GP appointment, contact NHS Direct by dialling 111 or attend your local Accident & Emergency Department.
You can also dial 999 for urgent help.