There are 2 consultants that provide services within the LSCIC - Professor George Ikkos, Consultant Psychiatrist in Liaison Psychiatry and Dr Parashar Ramanuj, Consultant Psychiatrist in Liaison Psychiatry.
All patients admitted to the Centre for Rehabilitation, are allocated a psychosocial key worker, a psychiatrist or psychologist, who provides appropriate assessment and support and, where necessary, liaison with local primary care and mental health or psychological treatment services in preparation for discharge. Patients admitted for acute assessment and treatment also have full access to a psychiatrist when required.
The psychiatrists work closely with the spinal cord injury team as well as the hospital more widely to support staff and contribute to holistic assessment and treatment of patients. Treatment may include individual and family support, brief psychotherapy or psychotropic medication, as appropriate and in line with patients' preferences
Professor Ikkos is Honorary Visiting Research Professor at London South Bank University and collaborates on research on the understanding and care of emotions and promotion of emotional resilience of spinal cord injured patients.
Other clinical interests include psychological and psychiatric aspects of physical trauma, pain and medically unexplained physical symptoms and, also, psychiatric complications of surgery and anaesthesia.
Dr Ramanuj has a particular interest in how care is best coordinated for people with both physical and emotional difficulties. He has spent time conducting research in New York into how health services can help address the physical, emotional and social needs of people in hospital. He is continuing that work in the UK as a Senior Research Associate at RAND Europe, a research organisation with strong links to the University of Cambridge
For further information contact: 020 3947 0100, extension 5780.