Renal counselling and social support service
Contact
- Enquiries
- Lead counsellor
020 3313 6620
beverley.mealor@nhs.net - Enquiries
- Counsellor
020 3313 5341
sheila.goddard@nhs.net - Enquiries
- Social support worker
020 3313 6619
michelle.delon1@nhs.net
Visitor Information
Visiting restrictions are in place. Please call the ward to find out more. Find your hospital ward contact information:
The impact of kidney problems on your health and wellbeing are far reaching. Kidney disease can be life changing and lead to feelings of anxiety and depression.
Any sudden change to your health can be difficult to cope with emotionally. People may have worries around body image, emotional or relationship difficulties brought about by illness or treatment, sexual difficulties and difficulties around coping with loss and change. Both a sudden illness and a long-term illness such as kidney disease can also have an impact on the practical areas of life: how you live, where you live, employment or studying as well as your finances.
Contact details:
Lead Counsellor: Tel 0203 313 6620 Email: beverley.mealor@nhs.net
Counsellor: Tel 0203 313 5341 Email: sheila.goddard@nhs.net
Social Support Worker: 0203 313 6619 Email: michelle.delon1@nhs.net
How we can help
Our service is available to all patients under the care of the renal team, their families and carers. We aim to help you:
- provide an opportunity to address issues that are causing concern
- identify problems and work towards goals
- come to terms with having kidney disease
- feel less anxious, worried stressed or depressed
- improve emotional and physical quality of life
- work towards living in a more satisfying way
- adjust to life with a long-term illness, on dialysis or with a transplant
- reduce the impact of mental health on physical health
- foster a healthy relationship with both yourself and others
- address sexual difficulties
- with support with practical difficulties which are affecting the quality of your life
- advocate for you with your interactions with other organisations such as social services, housing and benefits
- We provide counselling and social support on renal wards, renal dialysis units, and in our counselling rooms for outpatient appointments
Useful resources, apps and information
Document downloads
- Renal counselling and social support (Word 125KB)
- Activities for Older Adults During COVID19 - A guide to online resources for those providing care for people with dementia (PDF, 309KB)
- Cognitive Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following Critical Illness and Intensive Care Unit Admission (PDF, 617KB)
Counselling
Our qualified counsellors can offer emotional support and provide the space and time to talk about the impact of living with chronic kidney disease in a confidential setting. Counsellors do not advise, but offer support in helping you to explore emotional difficulties and help you to find helpful ways of coping with them. Sometimes, the impact of your renal condition can also bring up previous traumas and our counsellors can help you understand and work through this to achieve a better quality of life. No two people’s needs are the same and the treatment is tailored to you as an individual.
We provide individual and couple therapy We can provide face to face and telephone counselling
Social Support
There can be many practical difficulties in living with a long term health condition, and our qualified social support worker can help you to navigate these. They can support you with difficulties relating to employment and education. If you are no longer able to work, they can assist in applying for the benefits that you are eligible for and advocating for you when dealing with the government Department of Work and Pensions – including supporting you if you need to attend a tribunal. If you are having difficulties with your housing or social care, they can advocate on your behalf as well as provide information and advice on aids, adaptations and grants that could improve your quality of life. The social support worker can also signpost you to other organisations for legal issues such as making wills or power of attorney and carer support.
Further online resources or links to other external websites
The West London Kidney Patients Association (WLKPA) is a local charity run by kidney patients and their families, friends and carers with support from staff of the Imperial Renal and Transplant Centre. Find the website here.
Kidney Care UK is a leading patient charity for renal patients. It has a huge range of resources including booklets on benefits, resilience and kidney health. It also provides grants to renal patients.
- Main Kidney Care UK website
- Kidney Care UK booklets and leaflets
- Kidney Care UK financial support and grants
Yoga with Adriene – Free yoga sessions on Youtube
Apps to support your wellbeing
The NHS Apps Library has some excellent apps which can be downloaded to your phone to help you manage your health and wellbeing
Headspace (mindfulness meditation)
Calm (mindfulness meditation)
Hub of hope (mental health resources in your local area)
Oxford MBCT (Mindfulness Practice)
Healthcare guidance for professionals
Referral pathway
Patients can self-refer to the service by calling the telephone numbers above or by email. Alternatively, you can be referred by a member of the renal team.
Clinicians can refer to the counselling service by telephone or by email and to the social support worker by email only. All referrals should include the patients name and contact number, hospital number, the reason for the referral and confirmation that the patient has given consent to be contacted.
Patient journey
Patients can be seen by the counselling and social support service at any point throughout their renal journey…
Counselling:
The patient will be contacted by one of the counsellors to arrange an initial appointment. This will be either face to face or over the phone for an assessment and an initial six sessions. Further sessions may be offered depending on individual need and personal circumstances.
Social Support:
The patient will be contacted by the social support worker to arrange an initial assessment either face to face or by telephone. This assessment will determine the level of support needed and the number of future appointments required.