Psychological consultation in a paediatric setting: A qualitative analysis of staff experiences of a psychosocial forum

Abstract

The use of psychosocial forums in paediatric settings has been recommended as a means of providing psychological consultancy. However, no research has explored staff perceptions of these meetings or whether they have a positive impact on patient care. In this study, six members of a paediatric gastroenterology multidisciplinary team were interviewed about their experience of a weekly psychosocial forum using a qualitative approach. The data revealed that staff regarded the forum as an essential and useful part of the service. Staff reported a number of benefits to their clinical work as a result of attending the forum, in addition to the general benefits of having a clinical psychologist available to see patients. However, staff also made recommendations for improving the forum. The results suggest that psychosocial forums may provide an efficient means of delivering specialist psychological consultation for patients with psychological difficulties, in line with Department of Health recommendations for paediatric services. Future research should aim to investigate the effectiveness of psychosocial forums in different settings and to establish the cost-effectiveness of these meetings.