ABSTRACT
The most obvious association to the idea of a psychologist is that of a therapist. It is in the realm of therapy that the uses of psychology are best known and in the psychology service this was the way in which the organisation and its staff were keen to position the role. The treatment that patients receive in healthcare settings is delivered through a relationship: a relationship with a caregiver, a medical team, a nursing and therapy team, a healthcare organisation and, in the UK, with a national system that has both symbolic and actual power and meaning. The psychology service was offered as a creative and flexible resource that brought an extra dimension to individual and organisational life, but could also adapt and be responsive to context. At the heart of the psychological work there was an awareness of the need for sensitivity to the importance of hope in working life.
