Psychosocial service

Clinical psychologists and social workers are available to all children with cystic fibrosis attending Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) as outpatients or inpatients. As members of the cystic fibrosis team the psychologists and social workers attend the weekly ward based psychosocial meeting, the inpatient ward-round and the outpatient cystic fibrosis clinic.

The psychologists will also meet all families at the annual review to conduct a brief assessment. Individual appointments for children and families are provided when necessary, either on an outpatient or inpatient basis.

Inpatient stays can be stressful for families for many reasons, thus families can ask to see a psychologist or social worker during this time. This might be to help with issues relating to the hospital stay or for different psychosocial concerns.

Cystic fibrosis is a chronic illness which requires a lot of daily management. There are daily dietetic and physiotherapy requirements. Regular medical monitoring is necessary with the need for antibiotic therapy and inpatient care.

Associated illnesses can result in additional daily medical management and other outpatient attendance. All of these therapeutic burdens can interfere with psychosocial adjustment, development of self esteem and routine family functioning.

The psychosocial service aims to be preventative as well as responsive to particular problems. The aim is to enable the family to reach an adaptive balance between cystic fibrosis treatment and normal life experiences.

All members of the family, not just the child with cystic fibrosis, may feel the effects of the chronic illness. The psychosocial service is therefore, available for all family members if required.

The aim for all cystic fibrosis health practitioners is to ensure every child has the best quality of life possible.