Private psychiatry advice

[Summer9173]

Hello everybody,

So I have an appointment coming up with one of The Priory mental health hospital psychiatrists, i wanted a review of my medication however my CMHT wait list is another 6 months again, I’m not going to wait that long. 
 

I just wanted some advice on how it works, it’s come to £480 so I want to make sure I’m spending my money right. I already have an official OCD diagnosis and I’ve told them this, so will they do a medication review with me? They’ve put that I’m having an assessment, and the assessment fee is £480, but I’ve already been assessed and diagnosed with OCD? 
 

Would I also have to pay loads for medication via this route? Or would they let my GP know and I’d be given the medication as I usually do normally? The medication isn’t specifically for ocd, I have insomnia too so I wanted to review my current medication (amitryptaline) for that. I’ve been recommended Quetiapine in a low dose, which I’ve been told will also help the ocd alongside my escitalopram. 
 

Also, how do I go about the right to choose? Just in case for future references

[northpaul]

18 minutes ago, Summer9173 said:

Also, how do I go about the right to choose? Just in case for future references

This NHS site gives information re right to choose: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/

[hazel]

I too, went down the private route and, whilst an official diagnosis was given (I already knew tbh) and a change of medication, didn't actually get anything out of it. Just a significantly smaller bank balance! If it's just a medication review you're after, I'm sure they'll do that for you. You can opt for a private prescription, which you pay for but, as I chose, a letter to my GP with recommendations and an NHS script, as you normally do. 

[Lynz]

Summer that seems a lot of money if it's just for an assessment. I don't understand why they need to assess you considering you already have a diagnosis of OCD. The cynical part of me is wondering whether they will do an "assessment" regardless and try to justify charging you the extra money, when you don't actually need to have an assessment done.

[hazel]

Good point.  I paid £275 for an hour with a Psychiatrist at Nuffield Health. Just a consultation though, no 'assessment.' 

Could you ask just for a consultation Summer? Or will they say they have to provide their own assessment first?

Just tread carefully. If it doesn't feel right to you, it probably isn't!

[Summer9173]

27 minutes ago, northpaul said:

This NHS site gives information re right to choose: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/

Thank you @northpaul, I’ll have a look into it now.

[Summer9173]

13 minutes ago, hazel said:

I too, went down the private route and, whilst an official diagnosis was given (I already knew tbh) and a change of medication, didn't actually get anything out of it. Just a significantly smaller bank balance! If it's just a medication review you're after, I'm sure they'll do that for you. You can opt for a private prescription, which you pay for but, as I chose, a letter to my GP with recommendations and an NHS script, as you normally do. 

Thank you @hazel  I agree, it’s so expensive and all I need is a medication review. As antipsychotics would be involved my gp won’t be able to prescribe them, but my CMHT is and extremely long wait list again. Do you know if the private prescription would be more than a normal GP prescription? I just don’t want to pay so much each month

[Summer9173]

13 minutes ago, Lynz said:

Summer that seems a lot of money if it's just for an assessment. I don't understand why they need to assess you considering you already have a diagnosis of OCD. The cynical part of me is wondering whether they will do an "assessment" regardless and try to justify charging you the extra money, when you don't actually need to have an assessment done.

Exactly! I don’t even need a diagnosis if I already have one I’ve had my ocd diagnosis for a year now via the CMHT, as well as GAD. I’ve sent them an email suggesting that I really don’t need an assessment and it’s just a medication review I’m looking for, I really can’t be spending that much money right before Xmas, but than again, it is The Priory which was the only option in my area unfortunately and I guessed they’d charge a lot.

[Summer9173]

8 minutes ago, hazel said:

Good point.  I paid £275 for an hour with a Psychiatrist at Nuffield Health. Just a consultation though, no 'assessment.' 

Could you ask just for a consultation Summer? Or will they say they have to provide their own assessment first?

Just tread carefully. If it doesn't feel right to you, it probably isn't!

Thank you again Hazel, I know it’s legit because I don’t think The Priory would be dodgy, but I really can’t be spending that much right before Xmas. I might pop OCD-UK an email regarding this actually, just for some further advice  

[hazel]

Oh, I don't dispute the legitimacy of the Priory at all. I just wonder if they will say they need their own assessment in order for them to review any medication.

The private prescription will, indeed, be more than an NHS one. I think you will pay for the actual prescription as well as the medication. Like you would do at the vet's!!

Absolutely, contact OCD UK. They know everything and are wonderful human beings.

[Summer9173]

23 minutes ago, hazel said:

Oh, I don't dispute the legitimacy of the Priory at all. I just wonder if they will say they need their own assessment in order for them to review any medication.

The private prescription will, indeed, be more than an NHS one. I think you will pay for the actual prescription as well as the medication. Like you would do at the vet's!!

Absolutely, contact OCD UK. They know everything and are wonderful human beings.

Oh no!! I had no idea a private prescription would be more than an NHS one I don’t think my bank account could handle!! Will definitely be following this up with them in the morning because they failed to mention 🫣🫣

[hazel]

You just opt for them to tell your GP and get it on the NHS as usual. I was offered a private one too. Already shelled out enough!

[Summer9173]

4 minutes ago, hazel said:

You just opt for them to tell your GP and get it on the NHS as usual. I was offered a private one too. Already shelled out enough!

Oh perfect thank you for all of this information @hazel, it’s really helped as I didn’t take all of this into consideration, I don’t want my bank account crying just before Xmas either who knew mental health would either be really expensive, or just plain silly with wait times

[hazel]

Let us know how you get on regarding the need for an assessment. All the best with it!

[felix4]

It is such a shame having to go private!

I self-referred to these & made massive progress with OCD, having had lots of previous useless one to one & group CBT elsewhere   https://sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/service-ocd-clinic  

I am not sure if that service still running here in Sussex, but is there anything similar to any of you seeking private treatment? It is not just OCD, but self-referral to other mental health services, such as https://www.healthinmind.org.uk/courses

 

 

 

[snowbear]

Summer, this is a ridiculously huge sum of money for a simple medication review. I don't fully understand why you've chosen to go the private route on this. Who suggested the addition of quetiapine? Why not simply approach your GP and discuss it with him/ her? GP's are allowed to prescribe antipsychotics, it's just a matter of whether your individual GP has the experience or confidence to do so. If a psychiatrist has made the suggestion and written as much to your GP in a post-appointment update letter, the GP could start you on a low dose and ask for an early medication review by the psychiatry team - all on the NHS.

[Lynz]

GPs can prescribe anything. If they haven't prescribed something before usually they prescribe it on the advice of a specialist, but if not then that is not normally a barrier to prescribing something. They can always prescribe and take advice later like how snowbear has described.

Also private prescriptions can cost hundreds of pounds at a time, or more, depending on the particular drug. NHS prescriptions are low because the government/NHS subsidises the payment, and patients only have to pay a standard rate of £9 or whatever the amount is.

I agree with snowbear's advice above. I would definitely approach your GP about a medication review first.

[Summer9173]

42 minutes ago, Lynz said:

GPs can prescribe anything. If they haven't prescribed something before usually they prescribe it on the advice of a specialist, but if not then that is not normally a barrier to prescribing something. They can always prescribe and take advice later like how snowbear has described.

Also private prescriptions can cost hundreds of pounds at a time, or more, depending on the particular drug. NHS prescriptions are low because the government/NHS subsidises the payment, and patients only have to pay a standard rate of £9 or whatever the amount is.

I agree with snowbear's advice above. I would definitely approach your GP about a medication review first.

Thank you guys. The thing is, my GP is literally useless. I’ve received no help from him whatsoever and when I asked to try Clomipramine, he absolutely refused and said he can’t prescribe them? So if I can challenge him on that I absolutely would. When I was coming off Sertraline I was an absolute mess and he refused to prescribe me diazepam even though I was clearly in an extremely bad state. This is why I feel no choice but to go down this route

[Lynz]

26 minutes ago, Summer9173 said:

Thank you guys. The thing is, my GP is literally useless. I’ve received no help from him whatsoever and when I asked to try Clomipramine, he absolutely refused and said he can’t prescribe them? So if I can challenge him on that I absolutely would. When I was coming off Sertraline I was an absolute mess and he refused to prescribe me diazepam even though I was clearly in an extremely bad state. This is why I feel no choice but to go down this route

I'm sorry to hear your GP is useless. I've no idea why he won't prescribe clomipramine as that is a common enough antidepressant. Can you complain to the GP practice? Is there another GP at the practice that you can see, or can you switch practices at all?

I've had difficulties with rubbish GPs myself for my endometriosis issues so I do know what that's like.

[Summer9173]

53 minutes ago, Lynz said:

I'm sorry to hear your GP is useless. I've no idea why he won't prescribe clomipramine as that is a common enough antidepressant. Can you complain to the GP practice? Is there another GP at the practice that you can see, or can you switch practices at all?

I've had difficulties with rubbish GPs myself for my endometriosis issues so I do know what that's like.

Well I genuinely thought only psychiatrists can prescribe stuff like antipsychotics and drugs like Clomipramine, I had to wait 5 months to get a medication review because my GP said that’s what a psychiatrist is there for, I genuinely thought they couldn’t prescribe that so I’m really shocked to find out they can!! Unfortunately, I live in a small village so there’s not much in relation to GP options, but I’m not going to give up

[hazel]

Summer, I went down the private route too due to my GP Practice. It wasn't that they didn't want to help, just they couldn't. I'd exhausted the NHS option, so sought private help. Turns out, not any more clued up with regards OCD. Enter, OCD UK. I now have hope.

I live in a small seaside town with only one practice. So changing surgery wasn't an option for me either. I think when we arm ourselves with the correct knowledge, we can go back to the GP and tell them they're wrong. Because they can be. Even though they, in their own eyes, never are! I'm not a fan