Clinical Health Psychology
We are a team of Clinical Psychologists providing a specialist clinical health psychology service to in-patients, outpatients, children, families and carers. We see people of any age who have a physical health problem, when psychological factors are affecting their emotional wellbeing, making their health worse or affecting their ability to receive medical treatment.
What is a Clinical Psychologist?
Clinical Psychologists aim to reduce psychological distress and promote psychological and physical well-being. We have specialist doctoral training in the application of psychological principles to help understand and treat clinical problems. Our extensive training allows us to conduct detailed assessments and develop a plan to help based on an individual understanding of someone's difficulties, rather than on a diagnosis alone.
Psychological Services
Why might I be referred to see a Clinical Psychologist?
A referral may be made following a life-changing diagnosis which is hard to adjust to. It may be that a physical health problem, or a long term condition, such as diabetes or persistent pain, is having an effect on a patient's emotional wellbeing and ability to get on with life. It could be that an accident or unexpected medical procedure resulted in a feeling of being overwhelmed by what happened. A psychological assessment might be needed for an inpatient, to help with treatment or discharge planning.
Paediatric Clinical Psychologists work with children who may have a physical health problem or a long term condition, such as diabetes or cystic fibrosis, that is affecting their wellbeing and family life in general.
What happens once a referral has been made?
Once a referral has been made, you will be placed on the waiting list. When we are able to offer you an appointment, we will send a letter to invite you to an initial assessment. If you are referred while you are an inpatient, we will see you on the ward.
What treatments are offered?
We provide talking therapy using a range of evidence-based psychological approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), solution-focused therapy, mindfulness, hypnosis, family work, systemic therapy, and neuropsychological rehabilitation.
The type of approach that is offered to you will depend upon the nature of your difficulties. Where appropriate, we follow guidelines for evidence-based treatment (approaches that have been shown to work) so that we offer you the most suitable option. It is also important that you tell us what you think will be helpful for you, and whether anything in the past has been of benefit.
What should I expect when I see a Clinical Psychologist?
When you first see a Clinical Psychologist, time is spent talking to you about what led to your referral to Clinical Psychology and what you think the difficulties you are facing are.
The Psychologist will ask some questions about your life at the moment, including what has brought you to the appointment, and also what is going well for you. You may be asked some questions about your background to help understand how your difficulties came about, and what life was like before you had these difficulties.
There are a number of assumptions that people often make about Clinical Psychology, so we would like to put your mind at rest. For example, Clinical Psychologists are not mind readers, we do not have a couch that we expect you to lie down on, and we do not see people because they are 'crazy' or 'mad'. Our job is to help to understand and treat psychological difficulties related to a physical health problem, and to improve quality of life.
Patients' comments
View a selection of our patients' comments
The Clinical Health Psychology team
The team delivering this service are:
- Mrs Alison Piper - Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Adults; Oncology, Palliative Care, Diabetes, &General Medicine)
- Dr Jo Burrell - Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Adults; Lead for Chronic Pain. Trauma; & Complex cases)
- Dr Steve Green - Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Adults; Lead for Stroke/Neurology. General Medicine)
- Dr Gail Clare - Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Paediatrics; Lead for Paediatrics. General Paediatrics; CF & Oncology)
- Dr Louise Robinson - Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Adults; Trauma & Chronic Pain)
- Dr Harriet Johnson - Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Paediatrics; General paediatrics & Diabetes Tariff for Children and Young People)
- Dr Samantha Williams - Counselling Psychologist (Adults; Chronic Pain & Trauma)
- Dr Amy Daglish - Clinical Psychologist (Adults; General Medicine, Oncology & Pain)
- Dr Alice Rose - Clinical Psychologist (Adults; General Medicine & Stroke/Neurology)
- Dr Tracey Jansen - Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Paediatrics; General Paediatrics & Young People's Diabetes)
- Dr Kate Roberts - Clinical Psychologist (Adults; Chronic Pain)
- Sarah Gathercole - PA; Lead Secretary
- Sandra Cumming - Personal Secretary
In addition to their specialities, all staff will see people with a range of physical health conditions.
Clinical and research placement are regularly provided for Trainee Clinical Psychologists from the University of East Anglia Doctoral Training Programme. Assistant Psychologists and Student Psychologists join the department for limited periods of time.
Relaxation
Please follow this link for guidance on relaxation and to download relaxation tracks
Contact and location details
Contact details
Telephone: You can contact us by telephone on 01553 613433 from Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm.
Email: Contact the department secretaries at either Clinical.Psychology@qehkl.nhs.uk.
Post: Our postal address is:
Department of Clinical Health Psychology
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Gayton Road
King's Lynn
Norfolk PE30 4ET
Location
Adults are usually seen in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology, which is based on the first floor of the building indicated (see map below), near to our Print Shop. Young children and their families are usually seen in the Roxburgh Children's Centre.
We recognise that both locations can be hard to find, the directions provided below aim to make it easier for you to reach us.
How to reach the Department of Clinical Health Psychology
To reach the department:
- Drive into the 'Estates and Deliveries' entrance to the hospital (marked on the map below)
- After a couple of bends in the road, the small car park for the Department is the first turning on your right
- Parking spaces for patients are on the left at the far end of the car park. You will need to pay for your parking, so please come up to the Clinical Health Psychology reception on the first floor and speak to one of our secretaries.
To reach the Roxburgh Children's Centre:
- Drive into the main hospital entrance and park in the main car park
- The Roxburgh Children's Centre is located near to the main entrance, and main hospital car park. See map below.
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