DYING cancer patients at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will be denied access to their long-term counsellors in their final moments under controversial new proposals.
Counsellors operating from the Hamar Centre in the grounds of the hospital have been told they will not be allowed to make ward visits in the hospital in future, even if their patients are distressed and request to see them.
The news has emerged after two long-serving counsellors resigned following a row over intrusions into group therapy sessions among vulnerable patients.
Lin Brown, who has worked at the centre since its inception in 1991, has resigned after a member of staff is believed to have walked in on one of her support sessions, and she has been told to stay away from the centre while an internal investigation is carried out. Her colleague Arvind Patel has also stood down after 14 years service, on a point of principle.
Ms Brown is also believed to have been censured recently after taking a centre register home with her.
The Hamar Centre was set up thanks to money bequeathed by Lily Hamar and provides care for patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses including cancer. Services include individual counselling, group activities such as relaxation and art and creativity sessions, and individual therapies such as aromatherapy, reiki and reflexology.
Mr Patel, who has enjoyed a 45-year career in counselling, said: “We were told that we would not be allowed to visit our clients on wards. It would have a very big effect on how we do our job – we would not be allowed to visit distressed clients if they asked to see us.
“The client relationship is absolutely fundamental to our work but we were told in such an instance a member of the mental health team on the ward should see them and not us.
“I feel very strongly that I would not as a person be dehumanised by the system. My loyalty is with my clients and care of the client is fundamental to me.
Stormed in
“Both Lin and I resigned because of an incident where Lin was engaged in a therapeutic session with some clients and a member of management stormed in wanting to speak to Lin, then left.
“From a counselling point of view this is a complete no-no and I’ve not come across anything like it throughout my career, but there was a refusal from management to recognise anything wrong had been done.”
A spokesman for The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said: “No changes have been made to the services being offered by the Hamar Centre.
“We are currently making alternative arrangements following the resignation of two members of staff.
“We can confirm an individual is subject to disciplinary action relating to a potential breach of trust policy and procedure concerning patient confidentiality.”
Ms Brown declined to comment while the investigation was on-going.
By news editor Peter Kitchen