A psychotherapy and counselling service has been expanded across all mid Essex hospitals The service, which previously only covered the St.Andrew's centre for plastic surgery and burns, at Broomfield Hospital, is now available to in-patients and out-patients, from Monday to Friday, at the trust's hospitals in mid Essex.

The newly-formed team, consisting of psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors and psychiatric liaison staff, are able to work with both child and adult patients and their families. Nancy Cohn, consultant psychotherapist and service manager said: "I am very pleased the management have supported us by allowing us to expand our team. It will make a big difference to patients care as our overriding aim is to ensure, while patients are in hospital or having hospital treatment, they are able to access psychological support. Our service provides a full range of therapeutic approaches and we think it will prove to be a very important addition to the care of the patients."

The team see patients on the wards as well as out-patients. Various levels of counselling and therapy are available, depending on the needs and wishes of the patients. Nancy added: "Mental health and psychological states of mind have a significant effect on the speed and effectiveness of patient's ability to engage fully their treatment. Having an illness, injury or medical condition can be a worrying and stressful time for patients and their families. While most people manage with the support of the family and friends, some psychological input at these difficult times can help. Specialities such as diabetics and renal dialysis report non-compliance as a major problem for some of their patients. Assisting the patients to come to accept their condition helps them to participate more fully in their treatment and begin to see a future for themselves."

The team will work closely with the department of mental health and learning disabilities at Anglia Ruskin University, who will evaluate the newly developing service.

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