By ĐỖ TUYẾT MAI, M.D, Ph.D. Psycho-Oncologist, Mental Health Researcher, Vietnam National Cancer Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Situational context
At VNCH, each year more than 300 children come to the Paediatrics Department for cancer examination and treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy (separate radiation therapy). Palliative care is mainly symptomatic and pain relief, and medical staff are always overloaded and lack of time for empathic communication. Social support is only available in a few occasions and limited cases, and there is no regular psychological care integrating in clinical practice.
Description of the model/ programme
Establish a psychological counselling room for patients and their families at the Paediatrics Department, providing effective communication support, psychological education, and mental health consultation for families of paediatric cancer patients.
Level of support and integration from the existing health care system
- Connect and change the perception of paediatric oncologists about psychological care for children and their families
- Integrate communication skills and therapeutic activities into routine paediatric cancer care
- Translation and standardization of a screening tool for psychological stress risk in paediatric patients’ families for clinical application
- Organize psychological education communication sessions and provide psychological skills for children and their families
- Conduct consultations, examinations, counselling, and medication treatment on mental health for children during inpatient and outpatient treatment
- Provide counselling and support to children’s families in end-of-life care
Innovations
This is the first paediatric cancer care facility model in Vietnam with a full-time psychologist integrated into routine cancer care. This project also helps translate and standardize the PAT tool into the first Vietnamese version and clinical application.
Sustainability
- Increased awareness of psychological care among cancer care staff;
- Multidisciplinary team working models support care outcomes and reduce clinical burden;
- Standardized tools available for early screening and intervention
Key lessons learning
- Need to keep energy stable in communication with leaders and managers
- Define clear goals and make specific plans
- Work in teams, take advantage of young and dynamic human resources
- Take advantage of all connections and constantly “knock on doors”
Figure 1. Counselling room for patients and families at VNCH established from March 2025
Figure 2. Inside the psychological counselling room at Paediatric Department at Vietnam National Cancer Hospital