ABSTRACT
Psychological aspects of care are an essential part of the holistic approach of the palliative care team. All team members will contribute to this though some will have specialist expertise in psychological assessment and treatment. The NICE four level model of psychological support enables distinctions to be made between assessments and interventions undertaken by different members of the team, based on their skills and training. All team members will deal regularly with suffering and distress, and some will also have the additional skills to support personal reactions and coping. Trained and accredited professionals have the knowledge and skills to manage more complex reactions including anxiety and depression, with specific psychological interventions. Psychological care is one of the most demanding aspects of palliative care, and individuals, teams, and organisations need to develop supportive strategies to manage this.
