SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 9 (EUROPE PRESS) –
The University Hospital of La Palma, attached to the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, has created a Clinical Psychology consultation to develop a specific program of evaluation and psychological care for people affected by the volcanic eruption.
This consultation, dependent on the Mental Health Unit of the University Hospital of La Palma, will be in charge of direct attention to people in the affected areas and will carry out the intersectoral coordination of the actions that are being carried out in the region by the support devices put in place by the different administrations.
For the development of these coordination actions, this Tuesday the Management of Health Services of La Palma has held a meeting with representatives of the Social Action Department of the Cabildo de La Palma and the departments of Social Services of the municipalities affected by the volcano . Professionals from the municipal psychologist teams also participated in the technical meeting, as well as the head of the Mental Health Unit Service and head of the Clinical Psychology consultation at the hospital.
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT
This consultation will attend to people who present or detect anxious-depressive-post-traumatic symptoms, abnormal emotional reactions, personal maladjustments, significant difficulties in their normal functioning (social, family, work) caused or related to the volcano.
Also to those people who request psychological assessment or care in relation to prolonged exposure to a “traumatic” experience, significant losses that may be a risk factor for developing a clinical picture or when these circumstances arise that are considered necessary for attention.
Patients will be referred to this service, after evaluation and interconsultation by the Primary Care doctor with the specific Clinical Psychology consultation. From the latter, a comprehensive assessment will be carried out and the level of intervention will be decided in relation to clinical judgment and the severity of the patients.
The manager of Health Services of La Palma, Mercedes Coello, details that with this new query the aim is “to have an agile care process, which allows the largest number of people to be attended to as soon as possible, with frequent appointments and with a coordination model continuous and direct relationship with health center professionals, and that can also facilitate joint intervention”.
