Cancer Care Psychology Service

Patient Information Leaflet

What is the Cancer Care Psychology Service?

• A diagnosis of cancer can be very worrying.
• You may experience a range of emotions and find this hard to deal with.
• The Cancer Care Psychology Service are a team of psychologists who specialise in cancer.
• We work with the medical team at the Whittington Hospital to provide a whole person approach to care.
• We are an inclusive and respectful service in which everyone is welcome.
• Our psychology team has experience of working with people who have all sorts of different life experiences and needs.
• We help people cope with and adjust to the emotional and psychological impact of cancer and its treatments such as:
  • Adjusting to the diagnosis
  • Coping with cancer treatments and their side effects
  • Depression, anxiety and anger
  • Coping with change, loss and uncertainty
  • Support with making decisions about treatment
  • Changes to how your body looks and feels
  • Coping with how cancer affects relationships
  • Longer standing problems that have returned or been made worse by illness
  • Living with and beyond cancer

How can I benefit from meeting with a Psychologist?

• We listen and explore your problems and concerns in a safe and confidential space.
• We provide emotional and psychological care to help you manage your experience of cancer and related treatments.
• We help you build on your existing skills and work with you to find new ways to manage the challenges you are facing.
• Working with you and your medical team, we aim to provide a whole person approach to care.

Does this mean my Doctor thinks my problems are 'all in my head'?

• No! We understand that changes in physical health can have an impact on your psychological and emotional wellbeing.
• By seeing a cancer Psychologist, you are taking a positive step to try and reduce the impact of your physical health condition on your life.

What to expect?

• After we have received your referral to our service, we will contact you as soon as possible and within six weeks.
• All referrals to our service must be made by a member of your oncology team.
• If you want to talk to a cancer Psychologist, but haven't been offered yet, you can tell your medical team who can then make a referral to our service.
• Please note that we do not accept self-referrals.
• If you decide to have our support, we will arrange an assessment.
• You can attend your assessment on your own or with a person close to you
• Your first assessment will last about 45 minutes to an hour.
• We offer in-person, virtual and telephone appointments and we also work with language interpreters.
• In-person appointments are at the Whittington Hospital.
• You will have the opportunity to get to know the Psychologist, talk about your concerns and discuss the ways in which our service could help you.
• At the end of the assessment, we will agree the next steps together.

What we offer?

Our service offers one-to-one psychology sessions and group work.

One-to-one Psychology

• We aim to arrange further sessions as soon as possible after your initial assessment.
• However, there can sometimes be a wait of several weeks.
• This will be discussed during your initial assessment.
• Some people may only need one or two sessions or to meet occasionally. Others may need more.
• We typically offer between six to eight sessions, with each session lasting 50- 60mins.

Psychology Groups

• These are theme-based and are run at various points throughout the year.
• They include "wellbeing" workshops and the C-Factor. C-Factor is an 8-session group intervention that focusses on the challenges of going through cancer, using theatre, storytelling and reflection.
• Further information is also available at the Macmillan Information and Support office at Whittington Hospital.

Contact our service

If you've been referred and would like to find out more, please contact us on:

Email: whh-tr.chpcancercare@nhs.net
Tel: 020 7527 1538

Other organisations you may find helpful

Macmillan: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/
Maggie's: https://www.maggies.org/
Cancer Care Map: https://www.cancercaremap.org/
Local Talking Therapies: https://www.northlondonmentalhealth.nhs.uk/talkingtherapies/