PICuP team members (left to right): Rebecca Ison, Psycology Assistant, Dr Emmanuelle Peters, PICuP Coordinator, Professor Elizabeth Kuipers, PICuP Director, Dorothy Abrahams, Administrator.
Traumatic Stress Service
Services Provided:
The Traumatic Stress Service (TSS) provides a specialist outpatient assessment, consultation and treatment service for adults who are suffering psychological difficulties following trauma. We assess and treat survivors of a range of traumatic events (both adult and childhood) including assault, torture, war, rape, major disasters, accidents and childhood abuse.
The service is open to adults living in the South London & Maudsley catchment area of Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham and also to patients throughout the UK.
Assessment, particularly of individuals with complex trauma, is comprehensive, often takes more than one session and draws on the whole teams expertise. If appropriate, the outcome of assessment can lead to advice and consultation to the referrer on further management / treatment plans often done at a professionals meeting or CPA.
The TSS offers both NICE guidelines recommended treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD):
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
and
Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (tCBT)
The TSS also offers:
Attachment-base Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Analytical Therapy (CAT), Systemic Therapy, Sensorimotor Therapy, Group Therapy and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET).
The TSS also offers training and supervision in working with PTSD and complex trauma.
The service is for:
Adults aged 18 years and over who are suffering psychological difficulties following trauma (typically PTSD or complex PTSD).
Opening Times:
9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday
Disabled Access:
The service has disabled access.
Other Information:
Guidelines For Referring Patients to the Traumatic Stress Service:
All referrals within Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham must be made via Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs). Please send referrals to the Referrals Co-ordinator.
We currently request that the referring team stays engaged with the patient while they are being seen for therapy at the TSS. This is particularly important for patients with complex trauma / presentations.
Referrals from out-of-area can be from other sources as well as CMHTs (such as GPs) provided the local PCT is in agreement with the referral. However, for complex trauma cases we often request that the patient is engaged and supported by their local CMHT before therapy can commence.
The more information that the referral letter contains the better in order for us to assess suitability for the service. Minimum information, particularly for complex cases would be history of presenting complaint, current mental state, recent risk assessment, level of current social stability, medication and history of previous treatment.
Exclusion criteria for treatment at the TSS
Significant social instability such that they cannot engage in regular therapy (e.g. unstable accommodation). Patient unwilling to engage in a process that focuses on past traumatic events
Patient is currently acutely mentally ill (severe depression or psychosis) to a level that precludes psychotherapeutic work on the trauma.
Patients abusing alcohol or drugs
Patients who are at serious current risk of harming others or themselves and this is not being sufficiently managed
Address:
Clinical Treatment Centre
Maudsley Hospital
Denmark Hill
London
SE5 8AZ
Phone:
020 3228 2969
Fax:
020 3228 3573
Contact:
Dr Damon Lab, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Team Leader
Email:
Damon.Lab@slam.nhs.uk
Website:
SLaM Psychotherapy
This page last updated: 20 November 2008