The Myths And Facts Behind Right To Choose Psychiatry UK

The Myths And Facts Behind Right To Choose Psychiatry UK

The Right to Choose Psychiatry uk

As a patient, you have the legal right to choose the place you're referred to for treatment. This is the case for services commissioned or led by CCGs and NHS England, as well as consultant-led elective treatments.

Psychiatry-UK provides ADHD, Autism and combined assessments under the NHS right to choose. This allows people who are on long NHS wait lists to choose their preferred of provider and decrease the time they wait for an evaluation.

What is the right to pick?

The right to choose psychiatry in the UK is a fundamental legal right that permits people to make their own decisions about their healthcare. This is the case for a variety of services such as assessments and treatments. If a person is diagnosed with a disorder like ADHD, they can choose an alternative NHS provider from the one that is in their community. This could be beneficial for a number of reasons, including travel restrictions or to see someone who specialises in their particular condition.

The legal right to choose is currently in effect at the time of referral from a primary care practitioner for the first outpatient appointment for a mental or physical health condition. This only applies to those who are medically appropriate and have an agreement with NHS England or the CCG (host commissioner) that covers the service.

For example If a patient is directed to their local NHS Trust for an ADHD diagnosis, they could be referred to a local mental health service where waiting times can be over 2 years for an initial appointment. If the patient has the choice, they can choose to be referred to a service which offers an online ADHD diagnosis like Psychiatry UK which offers the fastest path to diagnosis.

This is a positive development that will improve access to mental health treatment in the UK. It is frustrating waiting for an assessment, and then treatment. There are many issues in enhancing access to psychiatry and the treatment of patients in the UK. These include a shortage of consultants and a desire to boost recruitment for the field.

If a doctor wants to refer a patient to Psychiatry UK for an online ADHD assessment as per the lawful right to choose they must write a short letter outlining the reason. The letter should be directed directly to Psychiatry UK and include the GP’s name at the bottom of the page (not ANP). The letter should also include a brief summary of the patient's medical history and an completed AQ50 (click here for template). The Psychiatry-UK team will then contact the patient's GP for further details.

Who is eligible for the right to choose?

In England, you are eligible for Right to Choose if you have been referred by a doctor to a consultant-led mental health team for assessment or treatment. This includes a neurodevelopmental diagnostic evaluation for ADHD or Autism.  private psychiatric hospitals uk  doesn't include other NHS services, like psychotherapy, counselling or psychiatric medication. You must also not be a member of the Armed Forces, be detained under the Mental Health Act or be in a secure environment (including courts, prisons or certain secure training centers, young offenders institutions or immigration removal centres).


To exercise your right to select, you must have been referred by your GP to an NHS provider who is authorized to provide the service. The service provided must be clinically appropriate for your needs.  private psychiatrist birmingham uk  offers ADHD assessments to children and adults younger than 19 through Right to Choose. These appointments are conducted in person. If you prefer an appointment online, they can provide a private ADHD assessment for adults and children. They can also provide the titration of medications following an assessment. However this service is not available through RTC.

It is essential to inform your GP that you want to exercise your right to choose. You can download a referral letter from a variety of Right to Choose providers and send it to your GP. This letter will provide the information they require to request referral. Click here for the template from Psychiatry UK.

How do  find a psychiatrist uk  exercise my right to pick?

In the majority of cases if you are referred to a GP suggests you seek specialist mental health treatment, you have the legal right to choose the provider for your care. Your choice is not going to cost the NHS any more than when you were referred by an NHS hospital. You are entitled to choose a service or provider that is covered by an NHS Standard Contract with any CCG, NHS England or any CCG for the service you require (this includes many hospitals). You cannot make use of your choice to get quicker access to cancer services which are subject to a 2 week maximum waiting time for maternity services, mental health services provided by the armed forces.

In a study of prospective psychiatrists, conducted in the first, three, and five years following medical school, 4% of respondents chose psychiatry for their first choice of career. In comparison to doctors who chose other clinical careers as their first choice the figure was comparable to the figures of 3-4 percent who chose the field of psychiatry as a specialization in the USA. The numbers were higher for women than men. This reflects a historical trend of women choosing to become psychiatrists.

The factors that influence psychiatrists' decision to pursue the field of psychiatry as a career are numerous. Of these, 'enthusiasm/commitment: what I really want to do' was the factor rated as having most influence by over half of respondents in year one. 'Student experience of the subject','self-appraisal of own skills' and 'inclinations before medical school' were also cited as having a significant effect on choice.

For  psychiatrist cost per hour uk  who suffer from ADHD, their GP can use the NHS's Right To Choose to refer them for an independent assessment with Psychiatry-UK. This will result in an assessment and medication titration being provided by an expert ADHD doctor. Here, GPs will learn more about the condition, and even an email they can send to their patients.

For other conditions such as OCD You must only exercise your Right To Choice if your GP has recommended an assessment by an expert mental health professional and you have been discharged from that service. Your doctor may request a referral to Psychiatry UK from the specialist mental healthcare service. We will then be able to provide an assessment and titration of any medication prescribed.

What if I don't want to make a decision?

You don't have to exercise your right to choose if you don't want to. However, if you do then you should be aware of the consequences of doing so. If you decide not to exercise this right, it can affect the speed at which you are able to make an appointment, as well as the quality of service you receive. It could also impact your choices in the future should you be referred back.

It is important to tell your GP immediately if you decide not to use this right. The doctor will then suggest you to a service that best suits your needs. You might need to wait a bit longer to schedule an appointment, but it's worth waiting when you think it's the right thing to do.

You can request your GP to write to Psychiatry UK to see if they offer an online ADHD assessment. The website has information on how to do this and also a letter that you can download and present to your GP. This service is available to both children and adults but they don't provide titration of medication through the NHS after an assessment. They are currently able to offer an assessment in Kent and Medway, Isle of Wight and North East Hampshire.

Psychiatry UK is a not-for-profit organization which offers no-cost secure, confidential, online consultations with qualified psychiatrists. Consultations are conducted via the internet and can be booked via a secure online booking system. These appointments are recorded in an electronic medical database and utilized by a team specially trained clinicians for monitoring the health of patients. The clinicians are supervised by senior mental health professionals to ensure that the service is delivered to the highest standards.

The authors would like to thank the nine participants who participated in the one-to-one semi-structured interviews for their time and effort. They were recruited at different stages of their medical education and came from a variety of backgrounds. From the second year of BSMS, to just finishing their fifth year of medical school. They were interviewed via email or videoconference and asked to discuss their experiences in choosing a career as a psychiatrist.