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About the Cancer Counselling Service
The Cancer Counselling Service is a therapy service offered free of charge at Kingston Hospital.
The team consists of two specialist psychotherapists, both experienced in the field of cancer.
Adult patients and their adult supporters can sign on for up to eight therapy sessions each.
The sessions take place:
- on the ward
- as an outpatient, based in the Sir William Rous Unit.
If you need help with language translation, email the Cancer Counselling Service (see Contacts section) and they will arrange this for you.
Translated cancer information is available in some languages from Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK.
Who the service is for
The service is for adult cancer patients, family members or carers. These individuals may be experiencing all kinds of issues brought about by cancer, including:
- difficulty living with uncertainty
- feelings of depression, anxiety or anger
- difficulty coming to terms with the changes brought about by illness
- problems with relationships
- problems with sexual functioning or fertility
- distress relating to body image
- a lack of confidence as a result of their diagnosis
- anxiety about children and about how to talk to them about the illness
- issues about facing the end of life.
Being referred for therapy
Speak to your medical team if you want to be referred for therapy. They will refer you to us.
When you have been referred, you need to call us to let us know when you are ready to begin therapy (see Contacts section).
If nobody answers when you call, leave the following information on our answerphone:
- your name
- your number
- confirmation that you are ready to start therapy.
This answerphone is monitored frequently, so we will get back to you quickly.
If we do not hear from you within three months of your referral, you will have to register your interest with your medical team again.
Referring yourself for therapy
You can self-refer to our therapy service by using our referral form.
To collect a form:
- ask a member of your cancer care team to give you a copy
- go to the Macmillan centre in the Sir William Rous building at Kingston Hospital and collect a form.
Fill in the referral form and email it to us (see Contacts section). You can also give it to a member of your oncology team.
When you have handed in your referral form, you need to call us to let us know when you are ready to begin therapy (see Contacts section).
How therapy works
Talking about your experiences can be a relief. It can help you to untangle the uncertainty and emotions that are triggered by a cancer diagnosis.
The therapy session offers a confidential, safe space to share your feelings, thoughts and behaviour.
Your therapist can help you reflect, and discuss some new coping skills with you.
Sessions last 50 minutes and are usually held at the same time each week.
Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Contact information
Cancer Counsellilng Service, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm