Adult and Paediatric Burns

Burns:

There is a burns clinical psychology service available for adults, children and their families/carers following a burn injury. The clinical psychologists can offer assessments and psychological interventions and support whilst patients are admitted to hospital and when they are discharged home.

The types of difficulties the clinical psychologists typically try to help with include: anxiety, low mood or stress after a burn injury; difficulties adjusting emotionally; behavioural difficulties; difficulties or distress managing pain or painful/medical procedures; difficult or upsetting feelings and thoughts about changes to appearance/the body; distress related to the accident (e.g., upsetting memories or bad dreams, anxiety when faced with reminders of the accident); or help managing other people’s reactions to injuries.

 

Referral criteria and process 

Patients can be referred by any member of the burns team or patients can self-refer. The Adult Burns Team can refer in person, by phoning ext. 77985 and leaving a message if no-one answers, or in writing to: Dr Laura Shepherd, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Plastic Surgery Department, City Hospital. The Paediatric Burns Team can refer in person, by phoning ext. 86165 and leaving a message if no-one answers, or in writing to: Dr Anna Turner, Clinical Psychologist, Children’s Burns and Plastics Unit, Queen’s Medical Centre.

Patients can self-refer by telephoning 0115 969 1169 ext. 86165 and leaving a message for the attention of the burns clinical psychologists with their contact details. The burns clinical psychology service can only offer help to patients where the psychological problem or distress is a consequence of the burn injury. The service cannot offer help for pre-existing problems prior to a burn injury occurring. It also cannot offer help for significant or enduring mental health problems or when there is a risk to self or others.