Living with a sickle cell disorder can be challenging for many reasons. It is important that patients, family members, and health care professionals working with patients affected by sickle cell disorders are able to access support in a timely manner by trained professionals who are knowledgeable about sickle cell disorders.
What is Clinical/Health Psychology?
Clinical/Health Psychology is a discipline that uses psychological methods to improve health and well-being. Clinical/Health Psychologists specialise in providing support for patients and their families/carers to help cope with the psychological aspects of living with a physical health condition, or cope with pre-existing problems that might be affecting the management of their health. Support is given through a variety of forms, including one-to-one sessions, family work, and support groups, using evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behaviour therapy.
Psychologists in acute hospital settings often work as part of a wider multidisciplinary team, enabling other health care professionals to care more holistically for patients. The work with other health care professionals may include contributing to multidisciplinary team meetings, attending hospital ward rounds, contributing to seminars, teaching and training, and providing regular support sessions for staff groups. As well as providing psychological support, psychologists are also involved in training, research, audits, and writing guidelines for good patient health care.
Why is it Important for People with Sickle Cell?
Psychological support is particularly important for people with sickle cell or thalassaemia because of the ways these conditions affect people throughout their lives. People often have to attend or stay in hospital regularly for treatment, which can have a big impact upon all areas of their lives, such as schooling and education, work, relationships with family and friends, and leisure activities. Psychology seeks to increase quality of life and find effective ways of managing health conditions that are suited to the individual.
The psychology service can support patients, families and carers in coping with the multiple challenges of living with sickle cell and thalassaemia. Meeting with a psychologist can help people by giving them the chance to talk through their difficulties and the impact they have on their lives, and explore how to best deal with these problems. Examples include: coping with pain in hospital and at home, adjusting to being in hospital or having to come into hospital frequently, overcoming symptoms of anxiety or depression, dealing with a fear of needles or blood transfusions, and coping with memory and concentration problems.
Support for Children and Young People
Psychological support can also be particularly important for children and young people living with sickle cell, where psychologists are able to identify learning strengths and difficulties through neuropsychological testing. During this period, psychologists will often liaise with schools to ensure that children and young people are provide with the appropriate support needed to engage positively with their education.
In addition to this, specific support is also provided to parents who may have difficulties with understanding the diagnosis and would like what more information about support they can receive to help their children. Furthermore, psychology sessions can be given to parents as well as children individually to develop ways to help with a range of things such as; pain management, coping with friendships, missing school due to hospital and having a safe space for the child/young person to talk and or for the family to share difficulties they may have in coping.
Particular support might also be needed to help families and young people with transition from paediatric teams to adult teams, and some of the worries that might come with this.
Psychology within STSTN
This year hospitals within the South Thames Network have made several new psychologist appointments, which means that people can access psychological support as and when they need it. If you are a patient, carer or family member and wish to find out more about how the psychology team can support you, please get in touch with your medical team.
Meet the team:
Dr Heather Rawle Dr Natalie Cook
As a network we also work closely with other hospitals and teams in London, including St George’s Hospital in South West London where Dr Jenna Love is a clinical psychologist working with the Red Cell Pain Management Service.