Aims
Historically, psycho-oncology support within our cancer service was provided through a consultation liason psychiatry model with limited integration into routine oncology care and no dedicated psychology service. In April 2026, a fractional psychologist was embedded within oncology at a tertiary cancer service as a funded pilot. This study evaluated the impact of this model on access to psycho-oncology care and referral pathways.
Methods
A retrospective service evaluation compared referrals received during the three months prior to psychology integration with referrals received during the first three months following implementation. Data collected included referral number and source, tumour stream, referral eligibility, and uptake of psychological intervention. Descriptive analyses evaluated changes in access to psycho-oncology services following implementation of an embedded psychology model within routine cancer services.
Results
During the psychiatry-led period, 12 referrals were received compared with 94 referrals following psychology integration (85 psychology referrals, 9 psychiatry referrals), representing a 683% increase in referrals to psycho-oncology services overall. Referral frequency increased from one referral every 7.5 days to one every 1.1 days. Of referrals received by the psychology service, 73 (86%) were eligible for intervention. 25 patients commenced psychological care within the first three months of operation. Referral source expanded from four tumour streams to seven and originated from a broader range of oncology clinicians, suggesting improved identification of psychosocial need across the service.
Conclusions
Embedding psychology within oncology was associated with substantially increased access to psycho-oncology services. The increase in referrals and uptake of psychological intervention suggests psychosocial need was previously unmet within this population. Findings support the inclusion of psychology within integrated oncology services and suggest that psychological care addresses a substantial component of need not be captured through a psychiatry-led model alone. Ongoing evaluation will examine factors contributing to service uptake and sustained engagement over time.