Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre Psychology Service

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Please note

This is not a crisis service for urgent mental health needs.

If you are feeling at risk to yourself, you are advised to contact your local community mental health crisis team or Emergency Department/GP. Please see the list of local crisis team phone numbers on our clinical health psychology page.

 

About us

The psychology service can help with adjustment to having a spinal cord injury and think about how you’re managing rehabilitation. People with a spinal cord injury can sometimes feel low, worried, frustrated and experience other difficult emotions. Sometimes, people can struggle to cope or come to terms with their injury.

Please see our webpage for more information on the normal reactions to spinal cord injury. We can help with managing pain, think about relationships and meet your family members with you to discuss any concerns. The psychology team are part of the rehabilitation service and aim to provide support at a level that suits you best.  

We are a research active service

This means that we investigate how psychological services can be made more effective, efficient and acceptable to patients. We use anonymous treatment datasets for this purpose, in line with NHS clinical audit and research ethics standards. We also regularly contact patients to offer them an opportunity to take part in new clinical studies that help us to learn more about how to improve therapy.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is active in delivering clinical research. Hospitals that are research active perform better and give patients a better experience. When you attend our Trust, you may be offered the opportunity to take part in research.

If you wish to know more about the research we are involved with, there are details on:

Mid Yorkshire Research

NIHR ‘be part of research’ website 

Please do ask us how you can get involved!

Any decision to take part is entirely voluntary and will not affect the care you receive in any way if you decide not to take part.

Conditions we treat

What are appointments like?

We aim to meet every new patient at the Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, to introduce ourselves and explain our role, and to see if you would like to meet with us more regularly. We will offer a private chat to start with, to get to know you and see if there are any areas that we might be able to support you with. 

We will then think through with you what input you would like from the psychology team; from regular weekly contact, to less frequent check-ins or you can just let us know if you would like to see us.

Our psychology team draw from a range of therapeutic models and are specialists in applying these to patients with spinal cord injuries. Most commonly, we use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) principles.

We also offer group sessions, please see our webpage here for more information. We have a social group for patients, as well as an ACT skills group and a managing pain group. As a patient on the ward, you’ll be invited to join these, if appropriate.

The psychology service can also connect you to help organisations during your admission and after your discharge, for further support.

Psychologists are not the same as psychiatrists. This means that we do not prescribe medication. If you would like to discuss medication, you should speak to your Consultant.

Our service is confidential. This means that we will not share any information from our sessions with other people without your consent (unless we are concerned about a risk to yourself, or someone else). We work closely with the rest of the rehabilitation staff and it can be helpful to share information with them, if you agree to this.

How do I access the service?

We aim to meet everyone who is admitted onto the ward. You can also let any staff on the ward know that you want to speak to any member of the Psychology team.

We work Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm.

Email us

Where will my sessions happen?

Psychology sessions are usually held in a private space on the ward.

 

Meet the team

Spinal Psychology team

What our patients say

Feedback 1

The provision of psychological support enabled me to explore my emotional and mental health needs at a time of crisis for me and my family.

Feedback 2

The Psychology Service at Pinderfields was a great help to me… the weekly meetings provided a regular focus on my progress, reporting and reflecting on recent developments, and looking towards the future. Feedback was always supportive, never judgemental, and was instrumental in helping me come to terms with my situation, and formulate my thoughts regarding decisions to be made. The opportunity to talk, to be listened to patiently, and receive a carefully considered response, was invaluable.

Useful links

Back-Up - a charity for people with spinal cord injuries, run by people with spinal cord injuries. Back-Up offer telephone support and support for family members, as well as practical advice, courses and workshops

SPINE - a charity for spinal cord injury patients at Pinderfields Hospital, the Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre. They have lots of helpful information and connections. 

Aspire - a charity offering practical advice and support for people with spinal cord injuries. 

Spinal Injuries Assocation - an Organisation offering a range of support including telephone counselling for anyone who sustains Spinal Cord Damage, their family / friends and carers.

Wheelpower - a charity that works closely with the Occupational Therapist's (OT) and the Physiotherapists departments on the ward, providing opportunities for sport and activity.  

Mindfulness

Sex and the spine

Crisis support

  • Samaritans or call 116 123 for free

  • Mind Infoline: where to get help near you: 0300 123 3393

  • If you are in crisis and cannot keep yourself safe, ring 999 or go to your nearest A&E