AMPUTATION patients at York Hospital are being given help from a new counselling service to help them cope with the operation.

The pilot scheme was the idea of nurse and volunteer counsellor Denise O'Connell, who works at York Hospital's surgical vascular clinic - which treats patients with blood vessel or circulation problems.

Denise went on a two-year part-time counselling course at York St John University and started the pilot project in January.

The aim is to give patients extra advice and counselling to help them come to terms with the psychological effects of having limbs amputated.

One patient who has benefited from the scheme is John Williamson, 68, of Huntington, York.

John lost his left leg in January 2005 as a result of a diabetes-related vascular disease.

Two years later, he began to develop problems in his right leg, and in March this year that had to be taken off as well.

John said: "When you lose one leg it's nothing, it's fine, I could cope with that. I went swimming and everything.

"But when you lose two it's different. When I was in hospital I got really down and fed up and didn't want to carry on sometimes, but everyone really looked after me, and Denise is my guardian angel.

"It's nice to have someone to turn to if you need help or advice. She's always there in the background and puts a bit of courage in you. I can't tell you how much it's helped me."

Denise said: "I feel it's taking shape and evolving. It's very much about liaising with the multi-disciplinary team - consultants, physiotherapists, nurses, podiatrists and occupational therapists, and the GPs and district nurses when patients leave hospital - and complementing the great work that they already do.

"The nursing and counselling combination is really good as I see what patients' needs are and use both skills to respond to them. Some of it is about supporting them pre-op, giving them information and liaising with the physiotherapists.

"Patients have found it useful to get a picture beforehand of what is going to happen, as that is when they are most apprehensive. They've told me it gives them hope to know more about the rehab process. I then also follow them up afterwards in the ward and stay in touch when they leave hospital if they still need support."