As a result of research through the King’s Health Partners IMPARTS (Integrated Mental and Physical Healthcare Research Training and Services) programme, the Limb Reconstruction Unit at KCH has had a long held view confirmed: patients undergoing reconstruction surgery have a real need for access to psychological care.

Because of limitations in hospital budgets, Rebuild agreed to fund a support service in the department. The service was developed with the assistance of Consultant Psychiatrist, Professor Matthew Hotopf, of King’s College London, and gives limb reconstruction patients access to a psychiatrist and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT).

At present, patient referrals to the service are needs-based and Rebuild enables around eight patients a week to be helped. Consultant orthopaedic surgeon and Chair of the charity, Sarah Phillips says:

This is another example of how Rebuild has been able to help our patients. Previously it intervened financially to recruit a specialist physiotherapist, part-funded her post and demonstrated her value to patients to the satisfaction of the Health Authority who now employ her directly. On this occasion, for the psychiatric counselling service, the charity plugged the gap for the funding until it was taken over by the hospital in 2015. Rebuild now hopes to be able to expand the service to orthopaedic patients admitted through the Major Trauma Centre (MTC).