A hospital in Clydebank has been granted funding to improve patient’s access to psychological care after life-saving treatment.
NHS Golden Jubilee received the funds from the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Healthcare Innovation Awards for the mental health project.
The project is led by consultant clinical psychologist Dr John Sharp, who is the head of Psychology at the hospital.
He will explore delivering psychological therapies using computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to support the mental health of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
The BHF Healthcare Innovation Awards has funded the project for a year.
Dr Sharp said: “We have been trying to increase the amount of technology available to our patients at the Golden Jubilee as there is a huge need for more psychological support within cardiac populations.
“This has become increasingly feasible in recent times through the advent of digital solutions such as Near Me and computerised cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) using a host of digital applications and devices including computers, tablets or smartphones.
“We are in a good position to provide these therapies as Boards from across Scotland send patients to the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital to have heart devices implanted and then they have follow-up care in their regional areas.
“We know these devices are fantastic and life-saving, but they can also come with significant psychological issues, including really quite profound anxiety about the prospect for these devices ‘firing’, or indeed not working at all.”
The NHS Golden Jubilee is currently recruiting a psychologist for the role.
Dr Sharp added: "We will have a principal clinical psychologist and an assistant psychologist in post-establishing pathways, which will also allow frontline staff to recognise the presence of psychological distress and give them tools to be able to deal with that."
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