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Traumatic Stress Clinic
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Our services provide evidence-based psychological treatment for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to multiple traumatic events. PTSD is an anxiety disorder which can be caused by stressful or frightening events. Our team also offer supervision, consultation and support to other services in C&I and community organisations on understanding and managing the condition. We have been commissioned to offer consultation and psychological care following major traumatic incidents, such as the London bombings.
- Borough(s): Camden, Islington
- Email: nlft.tsc-referrals@nhs.net
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Address:
4th Floor, West Wing, St Pancras Hospital, 4 St Pancras Way, London, NW1 0PE
- Phone number: 020 3317 6820
- Service hours: Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm.
- Who is this service for?
- How to access this service
- Who is this service for?
- What to expect
- Useful Information
Who is this service for?
PTSD, Complex PTSD
How to access this service
Referrals have to come through iCope, core teams and secondary care mental health services. Please review the following information prior to making a referral: TSC Information for Referrers [pdf] 175KB
Please note, we do not accept direct GP referrals or out of area referrals.
Assessment and treatment appointments are being offered face to face or via video consultation for those who have difficulty attending face to face appointments. A face-mask is optional for those attending the clinic in person.
Patients must not be discharged until the TSC has completed the assessment and they have been accepted for treatment. Please also consider other areas of support , as we do not have capacity to case manage patients who are on our treatment waiting list.
Who is this service for?
Adults with post-traumatic stress disorder to multiple traumatic events. This includes individuals who may have been involved in, or witnessed a number of traumatic events such as childhood abuse, physical and sexual assaults, murder, disasters, war, civil conflict, persecution, detention, human trafficking, torture or other life threatening events.
What to expect
Service users will initially be offered an assessment with a clinician during which our treatment approach will be explained and a decision will be made as to whether this service would best meet the service user’s needs. We offer a phased model of psychological treatment for those accepted for treatment in line with NICE guidelines.
- The first part of treatment addresses ways of managing PTSD symptoms. It provides an understanding of PTSD and strategies to cope with distressing symptoms, such as nightmares and flashbacks.
- The second part of treatment focuses on memories of traumatic events, and involves talking through past traumas in detail, with the support and advice of the psychologist.
- The final part of treatment involves signposting to other services and organisations to help service users resume everyday activities and relationships.
At the end of treatment, service users should experience a reduction in their PTSD symptoms and an improvement in their quality of life. Whilst it is impossible to help people forget past traumatic events, treatment aims to help service users to cope better with these memories and to have more positive thoughts about themselves and increased hope for the future. See the service user leaflet below for more guidance and information on this.
Service user leaflet (updated 2024).pdf [pdf] 299KB
We would also recommend watching this video, which features some of our Service Users describing in their own words what to expect when coming to the TSC.
Service strengths
- Evidence-based psychological treatment for PTSD recommended in the NICE Guidelines
- Clinical staff are highly trained and very experienced with complex PTSD
- Expertise in working cross-culturally and across different languages using interpreters
Useful Information
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the name we give to problems people may experience after they have been involved in one or multiple traumatic events. People with PTSD may present with some of the following symptoms:
- Nightmares (usually with sleep disturbance)
- Unpleasant intrusive thoughts/memories of the event
- Avoidance of painful reminders of the event
- Low mood and loss of interest
- Poor concentration, irritability and feeling ‘jumpy’
- Feelings of guilt and/or shame
- Feeling unsafe and unable to trust others
Many people also have other difficulties including depression.
Resources for Service Users
We have compiled a range of resources on coping with anxiety and PTSD symptoms, as well as an information leaflet on further support offered by independent organisations for survivors and their carers. Finally, the Traumatic Stress Clinic YouTube channel features further helpful video resources on coping with anxiety and PTSD.
- Support for Survivors and their Carers leaflet [pdf] 655KB
- Coping with Re-Emerging PTSD [pdf] 202KB
- Coping with Nightmares and Sleep [pdf] 176KB
- Coping with Flashbacks and Dissociation [pdf] 500KB
- Coping with Anger and Irritability [pdf] 226KB
- Using Grounding Techniques [pdf] 568KB
- Using Special Place Imagery [pdf] 174KB
- Using Progressive Muscle Relaxation [pdf] 808KB
- Using Controlled Breathing [pdf] 108K
Information for Professionals
The TSC is able to provide special interest placements for doctors on the UCL North Central London specialist training programmes for General Adult Psychiatry and/or Medical Psychotherapy who hold full membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Please contact Dr Michael Bloomfield for more information.
The TSC is also open to placements for honorary therapists who have previous experience of providing trauma-focused therapies or who have experience working with complex mental health needs. Please note, we can only consider honorary therapists who are qualified psychologists or psychotherapists with a UK registration (HCPC, BACP, BABCP or a similar body), or final year psychology trainees, and who can provide evidence of training in delivering an evidence-based treatment for PTSD.
Please contact Dr Kim Ehntholt and see below for more information.
TSC Honorary Therapist Information [docx] 98KB
Islington Survivors Trauma Service
If you have been emotionally affected by experiences of abuse in Islington Children’s homes or while under the care of Islington Council between 1960 and 1995 please see the Islington Survivors Trauma Service for information on how to access psychological support.
