Clinical Psychology

We are a team of experienced psychological professionals working within the hospital to help people of all ages manage their physical and emotional health care and achieve the best possible quality of life.

We help individuals who are experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties that may be impacting their lives negatively and making it hard for them to progress with diagnostic tests, treatment or rehab. We also help people manage anxiety-provoking events such as surgery and support people to adjust and come to terms with life-changing diagnoses and hospital experiences. It can be common to feel anxious, overwhelmed and low in mood after suffering an accident or physical health condition requiring hospital admission or outpatient care. Symptoms of trauma and stress such as flashbacks and difficulties sleeping are also common.听

Our psychological practitioners are trained in a variety of evidence-based therapies and approaches to help with a range of psychological and emotional difficulties, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). We aim to reduce levels of distress and help people to learn ways of managing and overcoming stress and trauma through a collaborative approach.

We have specialist psychological practitioners working alongside departments across the hospital, including oncology, stroke, burns and plastics, paediatrics, spinal rehab and Wessex rehab. They can support people in making difficult decisions about their care and recovery, managing procedures such as scans, blood tests, and treatments such chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.听

Our team also works with individuals diagnosed with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy (paediatric), and chronic pain. We work in partnership with other professionals in the hospital such as nurses, doctors and physiotherapists to help support people with long-term conditions to engage with their rehab or treatment, improve coping and maximise quality of life.听

The psychology department also provides psychological support to staff (individual and group), provides staff training, and advises the leadership team within the hospital to support a psychologically aware hospital community.

You can find out more about how to be referred and what to expect in your first appointment in the Referrals section below.

Please note clinical psychology is not an emergency service so if you have concerns regarding your mood or thoughts of self-harm, please contact your GP in the first instance.听

听	听 Dr Gavin Lockhart, Head of Department, 小优短视频 Clinical Psychologist Gavin joined the team as Head of Department in April 2024. In addition to his leadership role in the department, Gavin works directly with patients, their families, and staff. Gavin has held a range of previous leadership roles across the 小优短视频, in community services, universities, Health Education England, and 小优短视频 England. 听 Gavin has extensive experience in community services and specialist care, working with children, young people, and families. He has also continued to work with adults throughout his career and enjoys working with people of all ages to support and empower them to self-manage and achieve an improved quality of life. Gavin has a specialist interest and expertise in working with trauma, anxiety, depression, autism, and learning disabilities. He is an accredited CBT therapist with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and is also trained in Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) and attachment therapies. He has previously led university training programmes for CBT practitioners. 听 Gavin is an expert reviewer for the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), an Associate Fellow and member of the British Psychological Society鈥檚 (BPS) accreditation committee, and has published a range of papers, reports, and practice guidelines for working with children and young people鈥檚 mental health and emotional wellbeing. 听
	听 Louise Smith, Department Admin Lead Louise has worked for 小优短视频 since 2001 and joined the Clinical Psychology Department as Admin Lead in 2018. Louise leads on admin support in the team, including the management of referrals, appointments, and letters to patients. She may be the first person you speak to if you need to contact the department, and one of the first faces you see when you attend an appointment with us. Louise has previously worked in the hospital catering admin team and as an admin team lead in a local primary school. 听听
	听 Professor听Nigel North, 小优短视频 Clinical Psychologist Nigel has worked in Salisbury for many years and was previously Head of Department. He is currently the lead psychologist in the Wessex Rehabilitation Centre and Pain Clinic and continues to be a member of the senior leadership team in the psychology department. 听 Nigel is both a clinical psychologist and a neuropsychologist. Prior to moving to Salisbury, Nigel worked as a medic in London and trained as a Clinical Psychologist in Edinburgh. Whilst in Edinburgh he completed a PhD in the department of medicine, on psychosocial oncology and lung cancer. He worked in Edinburgh for many years as a Clinical Psychologist in physical health and neuropsychology including neuro rehab and was a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh in the department of Rehabilitation Studies. 听 Nigel鈥檚 areas of expertise include the management of chronic pain, physical rehabilitation of complex injuries, and neuropsychology. He has published research papers in the areas of cancer, neuropsychology, stroke, communication skills, brain injury, and spinal cord injury.
	听 Dr Kate Jenkins, 小优短视频 Clinical Psychologist听听 Kate joined the department in 2006, when she ran a three-year project into psychological services for patients with cancer. She has extensive experience and expertise across a range of physical health conditions and staff wellbeing. During her time in the department, Kate has taken on clinical lead roles for cancer and intensive care, working with national groups to develop services around the UK and here in Salisbury. Kate was also previously Deputy Head of Department and continues to be part of the psychology senior leadership team here. 听 Kate has been central to pioneering training for staff across the hospital in psychology assessment skills. She worked as part of the staff recovery project post-Covid and her current role is exclusively in staff wellbeing, where she is the psychology lead. 听 Kate utilises a range of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and coaching/resilience-based approaches.
	听 Dr Jane Lewendon, 小优短视频 Clinical Psychologist听听 Jane joined the team in November 2014, having already worked for 10 years for Salisbury Foundation Trust in the cleft lip and palate service. Prior to that Jane worked in community child and adolescent mental health services. 听 Since joining the team Jane has worked as the specialist psychologist in the burns service, providing psychological input to children, families and adults impacted by their injury, and she is also the lead psychologist for Paediatric Diabetes, working closely with the Diabetes service to support young people and their families living with Type 1 Diabetes. For the last 3 years, Jane has also been joint lead from psychology for staff wellbeing, providing individual therapy for staff, and working with other departments to support general staff wellbeing across the hospital.听听 Jane continues to have a split role working half of her time with patients and half in staff wellbeing. She is also a member of the psychology department senior leadership team. Jane鈥檚 main therapeutic models are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She has a special interest in working with people who have experienced trauma and is qualified to use Trauma-Focussed CBT and Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help people overcome the impact of their trauma.听
听	听 Dr Danielle McLymont, 小优短视频 Clinical Psychologist Danielle has worked in the 小优短视频 for over 20 years, mostly in child and adolescent mental health services and in paediatric psychology teams. At Salisbury hospital, she works exclusively with children and young people with epilepsy as part of the paediatric epilepsy MDT. Danielle is also a member of the clinical psychology senior leadership team at the hospital. 听 Danielle is trained in a range of therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR - with adults and children), systemic and narrative approaches.听 She has a special interest in paediatric neuropsychology and has completed the Post Graduate Diploma in Paediatric Neuropsychology at University College London. She is currently working towards the Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology specialist training in this area.
	听 Dr Kath Gwynn Kath has worked in the 小优短视频 for many years, in both community and hospital settings. She has experience of working across all departments in the hospital, with adults and children. Kath was previously psychology lead for adult diabetes in the department. She currently works exclusively in the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre and is the lead psychologist for Spinal Rehabilitation. 听 Kath takes an integrative approach in her work, drawing on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Psychodynamic approaches. She is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR).
听	听 Dr Stephanie听Farrar, Clinical Psychologist Steph has worked in the 小优短视频 for over 14 years and has worked in physical health since 2016. Steph works with people across the lifespan experiencing a range of different health conditions. She has a specialist interest in working with trauma and health-related anxiety. Steph is the Psychology Lead for the Cancer Pathway, which means a main part of her role is working therapeutically with patients who have a cancer diagnosis, as well as their families and carers. Within this role Steph also works closely with other professionals in the cancer teams to help provide a psychologically informed and holistic approach to care. 听 Steph is trained in a range of therapeutic approaches which she utilises in her clinical work, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) and third-wave approaches, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Steph enjoys adapting therapeutic models to meet the needs of the patient and is passionate about empowering individuals to overcome their difficulties and help improve their quality of life alongside their health condition. 听
	听 Dr Holly Risdon, Clinical Psychologist Holly joined the department in October 2024, having previously completed a specialist placement in the department during the final year of her doctoral training at the University of Oxford. Holly鈥檚 main role in the department is focused on cancer, whether that be working directly with patients and their family members, staff members working in cancer, or developing the resources available for cancer patients. 听 Holly has a longstanding interest in working with people with health conditions and long-terms conditions, with most of her prior work being in the areas of chronic pain, weight-related conditions, diabetes, and cancer. Holly is trained in a range of therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She is an accredited CBT therapist with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).
听	听 Dr Hannah Coman, Clinical Psychologist Hannah joined the department in October 2024 and her role is currently split between the main department of Clinical Psychology, and the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre. Hannah works therapeutically with inpatients and outpatients with a range of physical health difficulties. Work may also be with patients鈥� family members or with other members of the multi-disciplinary teams involved in a patient鈥檚 care. Hannah also works with the ITU follow-up clinic to provide psychological support to patients who have been critically unwell, and their families. 听 Hannah is trained in a range of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), third wave approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and systemic therapy. Hannah has a special interest in Neuropsychology and is currently undertaking specific training in this area. 听
	听 Sarah Jane Pestell, Counsellor and Psychotherapist Following a nursing career in the 小优短视频, Sarah joined the Clinical Psychology team in 2007 as a counsellor and psychotherapist. She was initially employed as part of the cancer team but now works across most of the adult inpatient and outpatient pathways in the psychology department. Sarah is trained and experienced in drawing on different therapies in her work, including Psychodynamic, Person-Centred, Existential, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness. More recently, following further training, Sarah can also incorporate relationship and couples therapy and Compassion Focused therapy in her work. 听 Sarah has been involved in several research studies, which have been published in the realm of cancer, and maternal mental health.听听
	听 Simon Wickes, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist 听 Simon joined the department in 2015.听 He is trained as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT), including trauma-focused CBT, but also works with other third wave approaches, like Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).听 Simon has a special interest in anxiety across the physical health setting and works with adult inpatients and outpatients across most pathways within the hospital. 听
听	听 Emily Banfield, Assistant Clinical Psychologist听 Emily joined the department in February 2025 and is the assistant psychologist for the Paediatric Diabetes team. Emily has previous experience working in counselling services and has worked as a Mental Health Support Worker at an eating disorders inpatient unit in Dorset since 2023, a role which she continues alongside working at Salisbury. Emily has a particular interest in helping people overcome their phobias, and in trauma work. 听
听	听 Liz Beadle, Engage Programme Coordinator Liz joined Salisbury Foundation Trust in 2018 as a Cancer Support Worker working closely with the colorectal team. She moved to the department in May 2024 to take up her current role coordinating and managing the Stars Appeal Engagers Programme. Liz leads a team of specially trained volunteers who come along side patients during their hospital stay to enhance emotional wellbeing. 听 Liz has over 30 years鈥� experience working within a health and social care setting in both statutory and charitable roles. She has a longstanding interest in working with people with learning disabilities and those struggling with addiction and dependency. Liz worked for national Mencap for 12 years and prior to joining SDH worked for Adult Social Care. She holds a teaching qualification and has experience in coaching and training.听听听听

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We accept referrals from clinical teams across the hospital and work with both inpatients and outpatients.听

For inpatient referrals from any wards, we offer a one-off consultation if the person is well enough to meet. For some wards we are also funded to provide follow-up psychology support if needed. We also run a volunteer programme called Engagers. Our Engage volunteers aim to enhance the emotional wellbeing of patients during their hospital stay. They provide companionship and stimulation to patients through conversation and listening to help reduce anxiety, low mood, boredom, depression, isolation, and frustration. Our volunteers can also spend time doing activities with you (e.g. playing cards or games) or can provide crosswords, puzzles, and books.听 If you would like a visit from a volunteer, please speak to the ward staff who can arrange this for you or phone ext. 4795 or email sft.engage@nhs.net听

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For outpatients referred into our team, we aim to offer a one-off assessment within 3-4 weeks of the referral. This is an opportunity to talk through any current psychological or emotional difficulties you are experiencing and how this has been impacted by, or impacts on, your physical health. Towards the end of the appointment, we talk through options for support, including whether any further input from our team would be useful. You are then able to make an informed choice about next steps. We do have a short waiting list for any follow-up sessions and may not be able to guarantee you will see the same member of the team as your assessment. We can offer up to 12 follow-up sessions for outpatients, although we will regularly review progress with you throughout our work and many people find they need less than the 12 sessions.听

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If you feel you would like to be referred, please discuss this with the clinicians involved in your care, or your consultant. We do not accept self-referrals or referrals from GPs.听

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