title: Psychological services in hospices in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the level of psychological services available to patients and staff in hospices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospices in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  224 hospices.
  
  
  METHODS
  The availability of professional psychological support for those with advanced disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were received from 166 hospices (74%). Only 50 hospices (30%) have access to a psychiatrist, whilst 68 (41%) have access to a clinical psychologist and 92 (45%) have neither. Only 21 hospices (12%) have service level agreements with local mental health trusts. Counsellors, complementary therapists and spiritual advisors such as chaplains were more plentiful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delivery of the NICE guidelines, especially tier four, may be compromised by limited availability of specialist services. This has implications for the psychological assessment of applicants for voluntary euthanasia under an Assisted Dying Act.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychological Medicine, Kings College London, Weston Education Centre, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotopf
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Higginson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Monroe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D003376:Counseling / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000458:organization & administration; D006113:United Kingdom