NHS-Right-To-Choose

Right to Choose (ADHD referrals)

(Click here if you need Right To Choose for ASD)

NOTICE TO PATIENTS

Regarding Private Adult ADHD Referrals: We are currently unable to accept private Adult ADHD referrals but are accepting private CAMHS ADHD assessments.

We continue to experience unprecedented demand for referrals for both our Adult ADHD and Autism services, which has inevitably created waiting lists for assessment and treatment.

Due to multiple factors, the time you will need to wait for an assessment can change so we are unable to offer precise timescales. Our call handling team are unable to give any more information on wait times over the phone; please wait to be contacted by us.

If you are already registered with us, we will contact you by email and portal note to arrange the appointment, so please keep looking out for Psychiatry-UK emails. In the interest of fairness, we are contacting people in date order from the time that we received your referral.

If you are a Kent and Medway Adult Autism and ADHD Service patient – please read this statement

Due to global drug shortages patients might experience additional delays in prescribing medication for ADHD. Please refer to our Update Regarding National ADHD Medication Shortage for further information. This will be updated regularly.

We thank you for your patience and understanding and would like to reassure you of our continued commitment to improving the mental health of many thousands of patients.

Your Right to Choose Psych-UK Ltd for adult ADHD NHS assessment and treatment in England

If you are registered with a GP surgery in England and you are referred by a GP to a consultant or specialist in mental health, you have the legal right to choose the organisation (qualified provider) to whom you are referred, as long as that organisation is providing that service in another part of England.

As Psych-UK Ltd has NHS contracts to provide adult ADHD diagnosis and treatment services with a number of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in England, we fulfil the criteria to be a qualified provider under the NHS Right to Choose. As long as your GP feels a referral is appropriate and will make a referral to us, we are able to get your ADHD treatment paid for by the NHS.

Patient Information

How to exercise your Right to Choose as a patient:

  1. Download and complete this ASRS form
  2. Download and amend this letter to include your details (including your email address) and address it to your GP

Take both of the above to your GP and if they feel an ADHD assessment is appropriate, ask to be ‘referred to Psych-UK Ltd under Right to Choose‘.

GP Information

The information below is for the GP. Only your GP can make a referral on your behalf.

A referral MUST contain the following 3 items or the referral may be rejected:

  1. A short covering letter stating that you (the GP) wish to refer this patient to Psych-UK Ltd, for an ADHD assessment, under NHS Right to Choose legislation. Please give a brief explanation for the referral. This letter should be addressed to Psych-UK Ltd and should have your name (the GP) at the bottom (not ANP or other). Please also include the patient’s email address (found on the letter given to you by the patient) as we are an online service.
  2. A completed ASRS form (which the patient should have given to you)
  3. A brief medical summary of the patient along with patient contact details (phone and email address)

Referral documents can be sent as attachments to p-uk.RTC-referrals@nhs.net.

Please note, this inbox is for REFERRALS ONLY. Due to the high number of emails we receive to this inbox, we will not be able to respond to any queries.

Alternatively, the address for written referrals is:

Psych-UK Ltd
3b Fore Street
Camelford
Cornwall
PL32 9PG

Right To Choose – Your Questions Answered:

We receive a high number of enquiries about Right To Choose (RTC) so please read our FAQs below before getting in touch. 

What is Right To Choose?
RTC stands for Right to Choose. It gives you the right to choose an appropriate healthcare provider if your GP agrees you need to be referred to a specialist.

What is an appropriate healthcare provider?
Any provider that is commissioned in England to provide the service that you are requesting. Psych-UK Ltd holds several contracts with NHSE Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) for adult ADHD services, so can be chosen for the same service by any eligible patient registered with a GP in England.

How long will I have to wait for an Adult ADHD assessment?
We continue to experience unprecedented demand for both our Adult ADHD and Autism services, which have inevitably created waiting lists for assessment and treatment that can run to several months. We are continuously striving to reduce this timeframe by continuing to recruit more consultants and prescribing clinicians. Due to multiple factors the time you will need to wait for an assessment can change frequently so we are unable to offer more precise timescales.

How can I be referred?
First, you need to discuss your condition and symptoms with your GP. If they agree that you may have ADHD and that you need to be assessed, you have the legal right to choose an appropriate provider such as Psych-UK Ltd. The referral can be sent to us directly from your GP.

How do I know if you have received my referral?
We will contact you by email, telephone, letter or via our portal (you will be sent a log-in). If you do not hear from us within six weeks, please contact your GP surgery to find out the date they sent the referral.

Can I self-refer?
Yes, you can self-refer if you are paying privately. If you want your treatment to be funded by the NHS, then your referral must come from your GP.

Does it cover the assessment and treatment?
Your assessment is covered and any medication treatment.

How can I get funding for therapy or coaching?
You can either pay for your own treatment or your GP can apply for an Individual Funding Request (IFR) through your ICB. If successful, you will be entitled to a course of therapy or coaching, depending on recommendations from your psychiatrist, the PSN assessment and the level of support your local ICB is willing to give. Funding is also available via the ‘Access to Work’ Scheme (Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). 

What if my GP will not refer me?
Assuming that your GP is refusing to refer you due to funding concerns and not a clinical reason, you can ask them to read the NHS information governing patient choice. Common causes of confusion are the fact that we are not commissioned in your ICB, which is not relevant, or that the GP is only aware of applying through an IFR (Individual Funding Request) and asking the ICB for permission first, which again, is not necessary.

Does it cover Scotland/Wales/N.Ireland?
Unfortunately, not. You must be registered with a GP in England to be eligible.

What if I am not diagnosed?
The consultant will advise you of their findings and a letter with recommendations will be sent to your GP to advise on your further care. You will not have to pay anything; the cost of this assessment will still be covered.

Does it cover other things (addiction, depression, etc)?
Unfortunately, no. The patient choice rules cover all aspects of healthcare, but you can only choose an eligible provider that has an NHS contract for the service you require.  At present, we are commissioned for adult ADHD assessments and treatment only.

Can I get help for my child under RTC?
At present we can only see adults under the terms of our contracts. We do of course have child and adolescent specialists available on a private basis.

Do I have to wait for the ICB to agree?
No.

Will RTC cover the cost of the medication?
Yes.

I already have a diagnosis from elsewhere, but I cannot afford the treatment/there is a long waiting list to get treatment. Can I get referred to you under RTC?
Yes. We will need a referral from your GP for your ongoing care following an ADHD diagnosis. Your course of treatment will be defined depending on how long ago your diagnosis was and what treatment you are having currently. You will not necessarily need another full assessment provided that  our consultants are happy to proceed based on the original diagnosis.

I have had an assessment and have not been diagnosed with ADHD. I want a second opinion.  Can I use RTC?
If you were assessed for ADHD by an NHS consultant psychiatrist, then you can only have a second opinion if paying privately.  However, if your initial diagnosis was a private one you can access an assessment from Psychiatry-UK under your RTC if your GP is prepared to refer you.

I am currently under the care of my CMHT, can I swap to PUK?
No. The right to choose rules cannot be used to swap provider mid-treatment.  If you are unhappy with your existing care, you will need to reach a resolution with your current provider.

Can I pay for the initial assessment and then get refunded if I am referred later?
No. We can only invoice the ICB from the date of the referral. You can get a referral from your GP to cover the cost of treatment following a diagnosis made privately, however.

What happens if my GP will not take over the prescribing?
At the end of the titration period, a shared care agreement (SCA) is sent to your GP so that they can take over the prescribing. Most referring GPs are happy to take this on, but there is no obligation for them to do so. There are also some areas of England where certain medications cannot be prescribed by a GP and they are legally unable to accept the SCA. In these cases, we would continue to prescribe for you and invoice the ICB.

Why Choose Psychiatry-UK?

●     We are online, so our services are convenient and discreet.

●     Our waiting times are generally much shorter than NHS waiting times.

●     We are registered with the CQC

●     We are a GMC regulated designated body for doctors.

●     We are the largest (and most economic) provider of neurodevelopmental assessment services in the UK, seeing over 1000 patients every month.

●     We have over 100 consultants, so you can choose which doctor you see.

●     We are a qualified NHS provider.

Telephone Enquiries

Due to the high number of referrals we are currently receiving, we regret we are unable to accept telephone enquiries about your RTC referral status.

Please be assured we are working as quickly as possible to process referrals received and the current processing time is 6 weeks. If you have not heard from us within 6 weeks of your GP sending us your referral, please contact your surgery to check it has been sent, and ask them to contact us if they think your referral has been lost.

Our reception team is unable to check the status of Right To Choose referrals, so we kindly ask you not to contact us by phone on our main line with this enquiry.

We thank you for your patience.