Updated
Original VAYEMA symptom and impact self-check – not a validated scale
Distress after medical treatment
Answer the symptom statements below to see which experiences and areas of daily life you report as most affected. These are original VAYEMA questions, not a validated diagnostic scale. No clinical severity or probability score is calculated.
Answers are processed only in this page by this assessment. They are not submitted, monitored or automatically saved. No name, email or account is required. Use a private device and clear your answers when finished.
For adults aged 18 and over. This self-check cannot diagnose or rule out a condition. Concerns about a child require an age-appropriate professional assessment.
Thinking about the past four weeks, how well does each statement describe your experience?
Additional context – not included in any questionnaire score
These are original VAYEMA questions, not a diagnostic instrument or a validated severity scale. They summarise the experiences you select and do not predict a diagnosis or future harm. Background condition information; this source does not endorse this self-check.
Begin with the effect on your life now
You do not need to recount the entire medical experience at first contact. Explain the current problem: perhaps letters from the hospital cause distress, sleep has changed or a necessary appointment feels difficult to attend. These practical effects can begin a clinical conversation. The professional can explain which additional information is relevant and why.
Our understanding medical trauma guide provides background, but reading it is not required. A person can be grateful for treatment while struggling with its aftermath. An assessment should allow that complexity rather than expect you to describe either a wholly positive experience or a definite medical failure before your distress is taken seriously.
Clarify the purpose and scope of the appointment
A psychological assessment considers symptoms, functioning and appropriate support. A medical consultation addresses physical health and treatment questions. A formal complaint or legal assessment has a different purpose again. The professional should explain which questions the appointment can answer and when another service or expert is needed.
You can ask whether the clinician has experience with distress after illness or intensive care and how they coordinate with medical teams. The fact that an event was frightening does not establish negligence, and a symptom questionnaire cannot determine what happened clinically. A useful assessment keeps those distinctions clear while still addressing the emotional impact and practical difficulties that prompted you to seek help.
The clinical history includes physical recovery
Describe the illness or treatment in broad terms, current medicines, ongoing care and relevant physical limitations. Fatigue, pain, altered sleep and other symptoms can have several contributors. A clinician should not assume they are psychological simply because you feel anxious about healthcare. New, severe or unexpected symptoms may require direct medical evaluation.
The NICE rehabilitation guidance after critical illness considers physical and non-physical needs together. Although it does not apply to every medical experience, it illustrates why separate aspects of recovery need coordinated assessment. Bring available discharge information or a medication list when useful, without delaying necessary help while collecting every document.
Describe reminders and reactions without forcing a label
The assessor may ask about unwanted recollections, dreams, avoidance, alertness, mood and changes in functioning. Explain what happens around a reminder and what you do afterwards. A waiting room, a sound or an upcoming test might be relevant, but no particular trigger proves a diagnosis. Timing and the wider clinical picture matter.
The NIMH trauma resource explains varied reactions after frightening events. You might find a simple example easier than a checklist: receiving an appointment letter leads to postponing it, which then increases worry about your health. That sequence can help the clinician understand a practical treatment goal without assuming that every response is PTSD.
Medical trauma and PTSD are not interchangeable terms
PTSD assessment considers the nature of exposure, symptom pattern, duration, impact and other explanations. A difficult medical experience may lead to a range of responses, including anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties or no formal disorder. The medical setting alone does not establish the diagnosis, and a high general distress score cannot resolve the distinction.
Our PTSD assessment guide explains screening limitations. You do not need to complete an additional questionnaire to justify support. A clinician should explain what the working formulation means for care and where uncertainty remains. The goal is an appropriate response to your needs, not obtaining the most serious-sounding label before help becomes available.
Unclear memories should remain clearly identified as uncertain
Memories of serious illness or hospital treatment may be fragmented. You may know some events from records or another person’s account rather than direct recollection. Distinguish those sources when you can. The assessor should not pressure you to fill gaps or treat a vivid image as proof that a particular event occurred.
The treating team may be able to explain the medical sequence or answer questions about care. NICE’s critical-care information guidance recognises the importance of repeated explanations and support. Psychological treatment can address distress while factual uncertainty remains. Unsupervised exercises to recover missing memories are not required preparation and should not be used to construct an account.
Assess barriers to necessary follow-up directly
Tell the clinician if fear is causing you to miss appointments, delay investigations or avoid taking prescribed treatment. The response should help you engage with appropriate medical care rather than assume avoidance can continue until all distress resolves. Your medical team remains responsible for advising what care is necessary and how urgently it is needed.
Ask what practical arrangements may help: clearer information beforehand, an agreed way to ask questions, a support person where suitable or coordination between services. These options depend on clinical circumstances and availability. A website cannot guarantee them. The assessment can identify the barrier and the right person to discuss it with, while any psychological intervention is selected for the underlying pattern.
Practical access and communication belong in the plan
Pain, fatigue, mobility limitations or concentration difficulties can affect the format and timing of an appointment. Explain what makes participation possible. You may need written information, pauses or a shorter initial discussion. A treatment-language match also matters when describing experiences that are difficult to express. These requests should be considered as part of access, not as a sign that you are uncooperative.
For online care, discuss privacy, technology and what happens if you become distressed or the connection fails. The clinician’s professional scope and your actual location need confirmation. A remote conversation should not be treated as a substitute for a physical examination when one is indicated. Clear expectations can reduce the uncertainty surrounding the first appointment.
Other people can support you without replacing your account
A relative may help describe the sequence of illness, arrange transport or remember questions. Their perspective should be distinguished from yours, especially when they witnessed events you do not remember. You can ask for time alone with the clinician and decide what you are comfortable discussing in front of another person.
VAYEMA’s family support can address relatives’ own distress and communication. It is separate from assessing you. Agree what information may be shared with family and existing professionals rather than assume access from their involvement in care. The aim is useful support and continuity, not a requirement to disclose every medical or psychological detail to everyone helping with arrangements.
Ask what the findings change about care
The assessment should explain the working understanding, immediate priorities, uncertainty and recommended next steps. These may involve psychological treatment, medical clarification, rehabilitation or another specialist. The medical trauma support guide describes these options. You should understand who is responsible for each part rather than receive only a label and a list of possibilities.
Follow-up may reveal needs that were not obvious earlier. The NICE post-critical-care standard illustrates the importance of reassessment. Ask when the plan will be reviewed and which changes require earlier contact. A scheduled review is not an instruction to wait if symptoms worsen or a new medical concern appears.
Use private notes without delaying needed help
The worksheet is optional and unscored. Review and download repeat your words without diagnosis or interpretation. Nothing entered is sent to VAYEMA, monitored or automatically stored in a clinical record. Keep a downloaded file private and use an agreed clinical channel to share it. You can instead bring a brief spoken account.
For planned support, the VAYEMA assessment pathway can discuss suitable expertise and arrangements. Immediate danger, severe confusion, inability to remain safe or an acute medical problem requires appropriate local urgent care. Do not wait for a routine inquiry response or use a low questionnaire score to decide that a new symptom is harmless.
Frequently asked questions about medical trauma assessment
Will this assessment decide whether medical care was negligent?
A clinical mental-health assessment addresses symptoms and support needs. It does not automatically determine the facts or legal merits of a complaint. Medical review, complaint procedures and legal advice have separate roles. You can receive help with distress without having to prove negligence or settle every factual question first.
Is the worksheet a PTSD test?
No. It contains original unscored preparation prompts. It cannot establish PTSD, estimate risk or select treatment. A professional may use an appropriate published measure as one part of assessment, but the medical history, symptom pattern and wider circumstances still need to be considered.
Do I need to obtain all my hospital records first?
Not to ask for support or begin a conversation about current difficulties. Available summaries and medication information may help, and the clinician can explain which further records are relevant. Do not delay necessary medical or psychological attention while trying to assemble a complete account.
What if my memories differ from what relatives describe?
Explain the difference and identify what you remember directly, what you have been told and what remains uncertain. The clinician should not pressure you to resolve every gap through guessing. Medical records or a conversation with the treating team may clarify some facts, while emotional support can address the impact.
Should I stop treatment that triggers distress?
Do not stop prescribed treatment or necessary follow-up on the basis of this page. Contact the responsible medical professional about the difficulty and discuss appropriate support. Psychological care can help with distress, but decisions about medical treatment require the relevant clinician’s assessment and advice.
Can I ask for help without describing the procedure online?
Yes. A short explanation of the current concern is enough for an initial inquiry about assessment. Keep sensitive details for an appropriate clinical setting. The worksheet is optional and is not sent to the clinic. Urgent medical or safety concerns need direct contact with local urgent services.
Resources and references
[1] NICE: Rehabilitation after critical illness recommendations
[2] NIMH: Coping with traumatic events