Psychology Services & How to Refer

Psychological services provided by Psychology staff at the QEII fall into the two general areas of Health Psychology and Neuropsychology. Services are provided at the following QEII Health Sciences Centre Sites: Victoria General Site - including Nova Scotia Cancer Centre, Halifax Infirmary Site - including the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building, and the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre Site.

Health Psychology The term “health psychology” refers to the application of psychological assessment and intervention to persons with medical health problems. The term Geriatric Psychology is often used to refer to psychology services provided to meet the health needs of older adults. The types of issues dealt with include:

  • Psychological adjustment to chronic and life threatening disorders
  • Treating stress, anxiety or mood disorders which are contributing to exacerbation of medical symptoms or a deterioration in quality of life
  • Assisting patients deal with fears associated with invasive procedures
  • Assisting patients deal with treatment motivation and adherence issues
  • Dealing with relationship issues arising from medical problems
  • Treating conditions and symptoms such as sleep disorders, high blood pressure, pain
  • Assisting patients struggling to make lifestyle changes (e.g., smoking cessation, exercise)
  • Helping caregivers deal with the burden of care
  • Promoting a healthy lifestyle

At the QEII, most health psychology services are provided on the basis of “dedicated services” in which psychologists devote certain proportions (.1 to 1.0) of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) of their clinical time to specific medical populations or programs.

In most cases, services can be provided to inpatients as well as ambulatory care patients. In the tables below, service areas marked by one asterisk (*) tend to be primarily or exclusively provided to ambulatory patients, while those marked with two asterisks (**) tend to be primarily or exclusively provided to hospital inpatients.

Currently (April, 2009), health psychology services are provided by 10.8 FTE Psychologist positions divided as follows:

  • Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program .15 FTE
  • Cardiology (inpatient, outpatient, Cardiac Transplant Program) .65 FTE
  • Cardiovascular Risk Clinic .15 FTE *
  • Diabetes Clinic .5 FTE *
  • Family Medicine .45 FTE
  • ENT .1 FTE
  • Gastroenterology .35 FTE
  • Hematology .1 FTE
  • HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinics .5 FTE
  • Insomnia Clinic .5 FTE*
  • Kidney & Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Service .75 FTE
  • Liver Transplant Service .75 FTE
  • MS Clinic .5 FTE
  • Oncology.75 FTE
  • Pain Management Program 1.8 FTE *
  • Physical Rehab .5 FTE (2 x .25) FTE **
  • Respirology .1 FTE*
  • Other Specialty Clinics/Services (e.g., Urology Clinic, PTSD, etc.) .2 FTE*
  • Health Psychology Consultation .5 FTE ** Note: the Health Psychology Consultation service provides limited psychological services to areas of the hospital not captured by the other dedicated services
  • Psychological services to the Camp Hill Veterans 1.0 FTE ** (funded by Veterans Affairs Canada)
  • Geriatric Psychology .5 FTE. - provides traditional psychology services as well as helping to address issues more specific to geropsychology include adjustment and caregiver education and support (e.g., following stroke or retirement). In addition to the .5 FTE dedicated specifically to Geriatric Psychology, patients in this group may also receive psychological services from other psychologists, particularly those working in neuropsychological or rehabilitation settings.

Neuropsychology Neuropsychological services at the QE II Health Sciences Centre provide assessment of cognitive abilities for diagnosis, management, decision-making and education of patients, their families and their health care providers. Some neuropsychological services also provide neuropsychological interventions or therapies, such as the use of cognitive rehabilitation techniques to facilitate recovery following acquired brain injury, use of psychoeducation to help patients and family manage changes in cognitive function, or use of compensatory strategies to help support older adults with memory impairment and their families. Patient groups served by the neuropsychology services include persons with neurodegenerative conditions, stroke, acquired brain injury and epilepsy.

Psychology: QEII has 4 FTE Neuropsychologists. There are also 4.4 Psychometrists who assist with assessment and who are involved with the delivery of intervention services.

Recognizing the recent changes with respect to organization of service provision at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre (NSRC), (where much of the neuropsychology services are provided) and the addition of several new neuropsychologists, the neuropsychology group is engaged in an ongoing reorganizing of service delivery to determine how to best allocate their services. Currently (April, 2009), services are provided as follows:

  • Acquired Brain Injury 1 FTE Psychologists 1 FTE Psychometrists
  • Cerebrovascular and Stroke 1.0 FTE Psychologist 1.0 FTE Psychometrist
  • Epilepsy 1.0 FTE Psychologist 1.0 FTE Psychometrist
  • Neurodegenerative 1.5 FTE Psychologists 1.8 FTE Psychometrists

How to Refer Consultations for psychological services for QEII inpatients, or for patients attending QEII Ambulatory Care clinics may be requested by physicians working at the QEII. Consultations may also be requested by clinic nurses/nurse practitioners on the behalf of a QEII Physician. Community referrals are generally not accepted.

Consultations for inpatients should be made on the Capital Health Consultation and Special Examination form. Consultation requests for ambulatory care patients may be made with the Consultation and Special Examination form or by letter.

Note that not all psychological services are available in all situations - please refer to the previous sections for information on where psychological services are provided.

Bethune Location (for consultations from the VG Site)
Psychology 
Capital District Health Authority
QEII Health Sciences Centre
3rd floor, Bethune Building, Room 330
1276 South Park Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9
Phone: 902-473-5526
Fax: 902-473-2148

Abbie J. Lane Location (for consultations from the HI Site)
Psychology 
Capital District Health Authority
QEII Health Sciences Centre
5909 Veterans' Memorial Lane
Abbie J. Lane Building, Room 4060
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2E2
Phone: 902-473-4799
Fax: 902-473-4873

NS Rehabilitation Centre Location (for consultations from the Rehab Site)
Psychology 
Capital District Health Authority
QEII Health Sciences Centre
NSRC, Room 6010
1341 Summer Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4K4
Phone: 902-473-1367
Fax: 902-473-7242