Psychological Aftermath of the King's Cross Fire

Abstract

The King's Cross fire occurred at the end of the evening rush hour, on 18 November 1987. King's Cross station is within the department's health district and we felt a responsibility to respond to the psychological aftermath. The unique features of our intervention were the degree of inter agency coordination, the use of a systematic outreach and screening programme, the collection of psychotherapy outcome measures and the development of an ongoing clinic. The work represents a sustained attempt to assess the nature and prevalence of post-traumatic reactions and the most medically and economically effective form of intervention. In this paper we describe the way our team responded to the high level of psychological distress that we found, we present some preliminary results, outline two therapeutic trials, and refer to the longterm consequences for the work of our department.

A district framework for managing psychosocial aspects of disaster

“…In addition, the Department has sponsored two professional reviews of planning for the psychosocial response to disaster, neither of which it has since authorised or acted upon (Disasters Working Party, 1991;Institute of Psychiatry, 1993). Their fundamental support for anticipatory planning was consistent with the recommendations of the British Psychological Society (1990) and those psychiatrists who have been faced with the psychosocial demands of a disaster (Burns & Hollins, 1991;Parkes, 1991;Rosser et al, 1991).…”

Current provision and recommendations for the management of psycho‐social morbidity following disaster in England

“…The British Association of Counselling is beginning to develop a system of nationally recognised training in this field. It is important to note that survivors of disas, ters, their relatives and the bereaved report that they find such interventions helpful (Hodgkinson & Stewart, 1991;Rosser, Dewar & Thompson, 1991) and only a minority find them intrusive. Training is important in this field in order to ensure that survivors and their families receive the most suitable and sensitive help.…”

Current provision and recommendations for the management of psychosocial morbidity following disaster in England

“…It is important to note that survivors of disas, ters, their relatives and the bereaved report that they find such interventions helpful (Hodgkinson & Stewart, 1991;Rosser, Dewar & Thompson, 1991) and only a minority find them intrusive. Some local authorities have organised training for social workers to act as counsel, lors in the event of a disaster, while others have not.…”