Clinical Professions

This directorate features the work of those health care professionals usually referred to within the National Health Service as the Professions Allied to Medicine.

The speech and language therapy department provides both paediatric and adult services to patients with communication difficulties associated with acquired or degenerative neurological disorders, stroke, head and neck cancers and cleft palate craniofacial disorders. A specialist dysphagia service is also provided including videofluoroscopy and endoscopic assessment of swallowing dysfunction. Managed clinical networks are being developed in cleft palate and laryngectomy care.

The clinical psychology department is committed to providing high quality specialist services to patients and their families - treating the consequences of physical and emotional trauma and helping patients cope with illness and disability.

The department operates from bases in the RBHSC, the RVH and the Royal/Jubilee Maternity services. Services are provided to an increasing range of clinical specialties including paediatrics (haematology, cardiology, metabolic, PICU, CF, renal, dermatology, surgery, neurology and neurosurgery) child and adolescent mental health, adult health (neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, burns and plastics, GUM/HIV Aids, medicine, surgery, RICU), obstetrics and gynaecology, and occupational health.

Staff play a crucial role within the Royal in promoting both the understanding and management of the psychological needs of patients attending the hospital and their families. This is achieved not only through specialist assessment and treatment, but also through active consultancy, training and support for all staff delivering healthcare services. There are close links with the Universities and the department boasts an active research department headed by a Chair of Clinical Psychology.

Social Services to the hospital is provided by N&W Belfast H&SST. There are five social work teams within the site with social workers dedicated to wards and to service specialisms. Social workers are responsible for the assessment of need and risk in relation to vulnerable patients, adult or child who are admitted to or attend this hospital. They fulfil responsibilities under several pieces of legislation ie Children Order, Mental Health Order, Disabled Person's Order, People First and Personal Health and Social Services Acts Social Services provide advice, information, support, counselling and refer patients and their families to community services and other agencies eg NIHE and voluntary organisations They play a central role in the discharge and after care planning of patients being discharged from the hospital and work closely with the multi-disciplinary team.

Occupational therapy services are provided widely throughout the Royal Hospitals. Their aim of is to restore the maximum degree of independence to people of all ages who have suffered illness, injury or handicap and where capacity to live normally within their own environment has been impaired in various ways. Services are provided to patients in the Elliot Dynes Rehabilitation Unit, the Royal Victoria Hospital and The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

Occupational Therapy has an important role in the early assessment and acute stage rehabilitation phase of the patient's treatment, in continuing rehabilitation and in preparation for hospital discharge by liaising with community occupational therapy services to ensure a seamless and safe transition to the home environment. The department provides Field work placements for occupational therapy students from the University of Ulster.