Clinical Health Psychology Service transfers to the Trust

In January 2026, the Clinical Health Psychology Service formally transferred to the Trust, marking an important step in strengthening psychologically informed care at Great Western Hospital.

Led by Dr Anna Lagerdahl, Head of Clinical Health Psychology and Chief Psychological Professions Officer, the team has been working on the Great Western Hospital site for several years. The service was previously delivered by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) and is now managed directly by Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

This transition will support closer integration across hospital services, enabling the team to work even more collaboratively with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. It also creates new opportunities to embed psychological thinking more consistently into patient care and to further develop psychologically informed healthcare across the organisation.

Clinical health psychologists and their specialist psychological colleagues play a vital role in supporting patients to manage the psychological and emotional impact of physical health conditions. Living with illness can affect many aspects of a person’s life, and psychological support can help patients cope with diagnosis, treatment and recovery. The team also works alongside clinical colleagues to ensure care takes account of both physical and emotional wellbeing.

Dr Anna Lagerdahl said:

“Becoming part of the Trust is an exciting and important milestone for our team. We will continue embedding psychological thinking into everyday practice and strengthening the support available to patients and colleagues. We also look forward to exploring opportunities to expand specialist psychological provision into areas where it is currently limited.”