Why choose to have a private consultation?

We work with the NHS. We provide services to the NHS and all of our psychiatrists have worked in the NHS – many still do for their day jobs! It is a fine institution which we all depend on, which we believe in, and which we support – but it’s not the only choice.

Unfortunately, the NHS has a severe shortage of consultant psychiatrists so it is almost impossible to get to see one unless you become very ill indeed. The fact is, most mental health issues have to be managed by GPs. Mostly they do a wonderful job – but they are not specialists in mental illness.

We believe that your consultations with us should be funded by the NHS but that is a decision for your local Integrated Care Board (ICB). We will always support a funding application to your local ICB if you have the support of your GP, however, even with your GP’s sponsorship, it will take some time to get that funding approved and the fact is that the best indicator for improved outcomes in any area of healthcare is rapid access to high-quality specialist medical diagnosis and treatment.

When you have any sort of medical problem you may choose to pay for the opinion of a specialist doctor directly. Perhaps you have been been through the NHS mental health system and you would now like a second opinion, or maybe you have tried to access NHS mental health services via your GP and found them wanting.

Whatever is troubling you (or someone close to you), we have a specialist psychiatrist who will give you their diagnosis, their considered advice and the best suitable treatment. That treatment may be by prescribing you with medication, when appropriate, but could also involve advice on onward referral to therapeutic and behavioural management services provided by accredited therapists, working under our medical supervision.

Top reasons why people choose to go private:

  • It is always far faster than waiting to be seen on the NHS
  • You will definitely see a top GMC Registered doctor – of your choice
  • You can keep it all private – even from your friends and family.

Unlike seeing some types of medical specialists where a physical examination is almost always necessary, a consultant psychiatrist seldom needs to do more than listen to your story and talk with you about it for an hour or so. It is therefore not only possible to have your consultation on a secure internet video link (via your desktop computer, tablet or mobile phone) but research shows that, in many ways, it is preferable.  

One of the main benefits of an online consultation is that you can be relaxed, in the comfort of your own space and have the appointment at a time that really suits you.

As you can see from the recommendations at the bottom of this page and the independent reviews of our service at iwantgreatcare, those who have tried it all seem to be willing to recommend our service. So we must be doing something right!

An online private consultation takes place at a date and time that suits you. What is more, using our online system is definitely cheaper than seeing a private psychiatrist in any face to face setting.

The cost of a private (online) consultation through Psychiatry UK

If you have private medical insurance, we can work with most of the providers to get them to fund all or part of your treatment. However, even in the absence of insurance, seeing one of the consultant psychiatrists who are part of Psychiatry-UK LLP is still extremely cost-effective.

Standard consultations give you 50 minutes with your chosen psychiatrist (which can be extended in some cases) after which you will be sent a letter or report containing their formal diagnostic opinion, their recommendations and an agreed treatment plan.

The details of this will have been discussed with you in the consultation. There can be additional fees incurred, for instance if we privately prescribe medication, but you will be clearly told about these at the time. See a detailed breakdown of our fees here

You can book your consultation here, or, if you would like a bit more information, you are welcome to fill in our initial enquiry form and someone will give you a call to talk it through further. Alternatively, you can ring our friendly customer support team on 033 0124 1980 (available 8am-8pm weekdays).

Recent patient feedback

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NHS services are so patchy that getting a referral to a Consultant Psychiatrist or skilled therapist to help with psychological, emotional or behavioural problems seems almost impossible.  For that reason, Psychiatry UK has been a lifeline to my family for the last 18 months.

The admin support team is terrific and help has been at hand really fast – including within 24 hours in an emergency situation.  

All the medical professionals we’ve consulted online have been of the highest calibre and supremely skilled and experienced.  This has enabled us to access the right treatment virtually straight away and with the reassurance of ongoing support in the future.

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The service provided by psychiatry-uk exceeded my expectations – the support team being on email over a weekend to both reassure me and enable all the necessary bookings to speak to a doctor as soon as possible was superb.  

The depth of knowledge of [  ] was impressive and left me feeling like I could not be in better hands; his ability to be pragmatic, professional and deeply caring is something I have looked for in a medical professional to support me for a long time.

The fact that this service is so flexible, with support available in person, by phone or by Skype is a demonstration of how medical care can meet the needs of us in 21st century with great affect

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Psychiatry-UK is an excellent service, it can be very difficult speaking to a psychiatrist on the NHS and the waiting times can often be long, this can be difficult when you’re unwell, so it is brilliant to be able to have an appointment within a matter of days.

Psychiatry-UK is not just quick and simple, the medical professionals also have a great deal of knowledge, experience and expertise and I was impressed how thorough my assessment with [  ] was.

At the end of the assessment I was given a diagnosis and recommendations for treatment, as well as further information for my condition. My letter to my GP also summed up my history perfectly.

My experience with Psychiatry-UK has been very positive and I am looking forward to continuing my treatment with them in the future.

MW

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I was highly impressed with [   ] as an expert. She was approachable, very quick to react and excellent with my client. [    ] went out of her way to prepare a report quickly and professionally. The report itself was both measured and of great assistance. I would have no hesitation in recommending her as an expert.

JF

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I was pleasantly surprised with the level of support and the follow up communications which has helped me get a better understanding of my condition and the tools in which to conquer it. Dr [-] and his team were understanding and were able to help me understand what is going on during a time I needed it the most.

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Dr [ ] is a great doctor, he listened very carefully and understood all my concerns, he also gave a very clear and objective assessment which was very helpful and reassuring.

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I came to Dr [-] for a variety of problems that I had been having with extreme irritability, anxiety and depression. These issues were investigated further by this doctor and I was diagnosed with bipolar spectrum disorder. Dr [-] then wrote a detailed report, with treatment recommendations to my GP. With a diagnosis I have been able to have a trial of medication, which is starting to make a significant improvement to my mental health. Highly recommend.

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Very clear and concise advice put into real world language, extremely easy to talk to and professional. All in all a fantastic service showing superb professionalism and care. Well done to all the staff involved with my experience especially Dr [-]. I cannot find fault, I wish all health care services were like this.

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Psychiatry-UK fills a very important gap in the conventional care model. It provides un-matched access to care in both time as well as convenience/ease of consultation. Simply, they are there when needed during the most crucial days. Getting such care usually means working through the normal NHS route with delays and obstacles that can be overwhelming. All too often this leaves people in a state of desperation far longer than acceptable. When I had my first appointment with Andy it took everything I had, and a lot of persuasion from my wife, to even attend the video consultation.

I am very grateful I did and I greatly appreciate what PSY-UK has done for me. The care, trust, and confidence I have in their service gave me the confidence to take on life as I once did. I believe PSY-UK is not just an emergency stop-gap for those in a crisis but rather a novel treatment pathway that addresses the primary difficulty of seeking help with mental illness. I really can’t say enough about their service. I hope someday soon their forward thinking model of care is one day the standard of care.

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I have no hesitation in rating this Consultant as outstanding in every way. He has supported our family through the very serious behavioural and emotional challenges posed by ADHD and undertaken the whole process of consultation, prescribing and reporting in a really empathetic, positive, and constructive way. I cannot speak highly enough of his professionalism and for anyone who has tried to to access NHS ‘service’ (personally, I have never seen evidence of its existence) he is quite simply a breath of fresh air. The best call I ever made.

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I have required the help from Dr [ ] as the DVLA required a psychiatric report so that my driving licences/entitlements could be returned to me. An NHS appointment would have taken months.

Dr [ ] received the relevant information one day prior to my assessment. Dr. Davies was empathetic, listened to me and at times had to guide me back to questions that were being asked.

The report into my mental health was received within 48 hours and accurately reflected what I had said. As a result of the assessment decision and accuracy of the report, I am now hoping the DVLA will return my driving licence(s) to me.

I would recommend Dr [ ]as a doctor that can be trusted, through her listening skills, empathy, questioning and all round professionalism.

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I was highly impressed with Dr [ ] as an expert. She was approachable, very quick to react and excellent with my client. Dr[ ] went out of her way to prepare a report quickly and professionally. The report itself was both measured and of great assistance. I would have no hesitation in recommending her as an expert.

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This doctor instilled confidence in me and my ability to accept and live in spite of my illness as opposed to because of it. He diagnosed me aptly and took note of all the information I gave him.

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I can thank enough. Made me feel totally comfortable .listen and I feel at last my life is easier thank you so much.

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My G.P referred me to the ADHD clinic at the Maudsley hospital in london. However, I soon realised that the waiting list was 6 months…and I simply could not wait.I found Psychiatry-UK online and decided to pay for a consultation… I am always anxious when it comes to talking to doctors but I found the whole experience with Dr [-] to be very reassuring.

Anon

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Absolutely fantastic, Very understanding and stress free service, Dr Alexandros was so understanding and to be honest after only 1 hour on a video conference has given me a diagnosis that I have now done research on and has made absolutely perfect sense, A letter was written to my GP with a diagnosis and medication and treatment recommendations, I have since been to my local GP and finally the help I have needed for years is now getting put into place. A 1 hour consultation has been life changing, a big thanks to Dr Alexandros and all at psychiatry uk.

KH

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Everyone at Psychiatry-UK is incredibly helpful and supportive. Their services are of very high quality and the treatment I received has changed my life. I highly recommend this clinic to anyone seeking help.

Lia