www.cardinalclinic.co.uk

Cardinal Clinic Profile

Bishops Lodge is a magnificent Tudor style house in an estate of 11 acres just outside Windsor.

In 1976 it opened its doors as the Cardinal Clinic. The Clinic rapidly established for itself a prestigious reputation with doctors, fellow professionals and most pertinently with patients. The important distinction that the Cardinal Clinic has is its ethos, founded on the basis that clinical need comes before profit. While we all recognise it is important to generate enough income to keep the Clinic viable our aim, not always achieved, is that once we have put our hand to the plough we follow through the treatment process - even where fees have to be adjusted and the Clinic makes financial losses. That value system is widely spread across the Clinic. Our staff work here primarily to practice good psychiatry and only secondarily for suitable monetary reward.

Specialities

The Clinic is able to deal with the whole spectrum of psychiatry but in general dementia is only dealt with as an investigative process and drug addiction is better dealt with by units specialised in that sphere.

Initial Contact

With few exceptions, patients come via their General Practitioner and are seen by a Consultant Psychiatrist. A large majority of patients continue to be seen as out-patients, either by that Psychiatrist or by the Psychotherapist to whom the patient is referred. Where it is clear that the patient needs more intensive care, containment and protection the patient is admitted to one of our twenty-three beds. In-patient stay is on average 19 – 20 days before the patient progresses to being a day-patient. Some patients are treated as day-patients without having previously been an in-patient.

Programme

The programme for in-patient and day-patient is full and busy. Psychotherapy is a major strength of the Cardinal Clinic and almost all patients have at least exposure to Group Therapy and many are seen individually. The Clinic is well endowed with staff. Consultants range across a variety of psychiatric specialities; Psychotherapists offer a spectrum from analysis through CAT/CBT to sex and gender. The nursing staff are the backbone of the Clinic and are highly skilled, loyal, diligent and long serving.

Personnel

The Clinical services are backed and supported by efficient personnel in administration, housekeeping, maintenance and the financial office is flexible. Our cuisine is of the highest standard.

Training

The Clinic plays an active role in training. There is a monthly lecture designed primarily at GP level. We have medical students from University College London. Psychology students gaining clinical experience as assistant nurses and psychology graduates acting as assistant psychologists. Clinical psychology placements are due to start this year.

Satellite out-patient Services

The Cardinal Clinic also provides out-patient services in both Reading and Oxford.

For further information www.cardinalclinic.co.uk

 

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