The Right to Choose Psychiatry uk
As a patient, you have the legal right to choose the place you're referred to for your treatment. This is the case for services commissioned or led by CCGs and NHS England, as well as to consultant-led elective treatment.
Psychiatry UK offers ADHD, Autism, and combined assessments as part of the NHS Right to Choice pathway. This allows individuals with long NHS wait lists to choose their preferred of a provider and cut down on their waiting time for an assessment.
What is the right thing to pick?
The right to choose psychiatry within the UK is a fundamental legal right that permits people to decide on their healthcare. This is the case for many services such as assessments and treatments. If a patient is evaluated for a condition like ADHD they can choose to be referred to another NHS service provider than their local area. This is beneficial for a number of reasons including travel restrictions or if they wish to consult with a specialist in their specific condition.
The legal right of choice is currently available at the moment of referral by a primary care practitioner to an initial outpatient appointment for a physical condition or mental illness. This only applies to those who are clinically appropriate, and have a contract with NHS England or the CCG (host commissioner) that covers the service.
For instance, if a person is referred to their local NHS Trust for an ADHD diagnosis, they will likely be referred to the local mental health services where waiting times can be over 2 years for a first appointment. If the patient has the option, they can choose to be referred to a service that offers an online ADHD diagnosis, such as Psychiatry UK which offers the fastest path to diagnosis.
psychiatry uk is a positive development that will improve access to mental health services in the UK. It can be frustrating to wait for an assessment before treatment. There are a number challenges in improving access to psychiatry as well as the treatment of patients in the UK. There is a shortage in consultants and a desire to increase recruitment.
If a doctor wants to refer a child to Psychiatry UK for an online ADHD test under the lawful right of choice the GP must compose a brief explanation of the reason for their decision. The letter should be addressed to Psychiatry-UK and should include the name of the doctor on the bottom (not ANP or other). The letter should also contain an outline of the patient's medical history, and an completed AQ50 (click here for the template). The Psychiatry UK team will then contact the referring GP for further information.
Who is eligible to vote?
In England, if your GP has directed you to a consultant-led team of mental health professionals to assess or treat you and you are eligible, you could be eligible to apply for Right to Choose. This includes a neurodevelopmental diagnosis for ADHD or Autism. It doesn't include other NHS services, such as counselling, psychotherapy or psychiatric medication. You are not able to be part of the Armed Forces or in a secure environment (such as a prison or specialized training center, young offenders institution, or an immigration removal centre).
To exercise your right to choose, you must have been referred by your doctor to an NHS provider who is authorized to provide the service. The service provided must be clinically appropriate for your requirements. Psychiatry UK is currently able to offer ADHD assessments through Right to Choose for children and adults until age 19. The appointments are offered in person. If you prefer an appointment online, they can offer a private ADHD assessment for adults and children. They also offer titration of medication after an assessment. However this service is not available via RTC.
It is crucial that you inform your GP be aware that you would like to exercise your right to choose. You can download a referral letter from most Right to Choose providers and give it to your GP. This letter will provide the information that they need to submit an appointment. Click here to download a copy from Psychiatry UK.
How do I exercise my right of choice?
In the majority cases when a GP recommends you to a specialist for mental health treatment, you have the legal right to choose the provider for your care. You won't be charged more by the NHS if you choose to visit private hospitals than if a GP recommended you. You can exercise your right to choose a patient service or provider that has an NHS Standard Contract with any CCG, NHS England or any CCG for the service that you require (this includes a variety of hospitals). You are not able to use 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 offered by the armed forces.
In a study of prospective psychiatrists, conducted between one, three and five years following medical school 4 percent of respondents chose psychiatry for their first career choice. Comparing this figure to doctors who choose other clinical professions, it was similar to the 3-4 percent of Americans who choose psychotherapy. The numbers were higher for females than males, which reflects a historical trend of more women choosing to become psychiatrists than men.
The choice of psychiatrists to pursue their career in psychiatry is influenced by a range of factors. 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.
Psychiatry UK can provide an independent assessment to those with ADHD. Their doctor could refer them to Psychiatry UK through the NHS Right To Choose. This will result in an assessment and titration of medications being provided by an expert ADHD specialist. The GP can find more details about this, including a printable letter to give to their patients.
For other disorders, like OCD for instance, you can only implement your Right To Choice when your doctor has recommended an examination by a specialist mental health practitioner and you were discharged from that service. Your GP can request a referral to Psychiatry UK from the specialist mental health service. We can then provide an assessment and titration of any prescribed medication.
What if I do not want to exercise my choice?
You do not have to exercise your right to choose whether or not you want to. If you decide to do so then you should be aware of the consequences of doing it. If you do not exercise your right to choose it will have an impact on the speed of your appointment and the type of service you receive. It will also affect how much choice you have in the future in the event that you have to be referred to again.
If you do not exercise your right to choose, it's crucial that you tell your GP immediately. They should then direct you to a clinic that is best suited to your needs. It may take longer to make an appointment but if it's the right thing to be doing it's worth it.
You can ask your GP if Psychiatry UK offers an online ADHD assessment. The website has details on how you can go about this as well as a letter that you can download to present to your GP. This service can be offered to both adults and children, but they do not offer titration for medication through the NHS following 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, confidential, e-consultations with licensed psychiatrists. These consultations are conducted over the internet and are booked via an online booking system that is secure. The appointments are recorded in the medical database and are used by a group of specially trained by a team of clinicians to monitor the health of patients. These clinicians are also monitored by senior members of the mental health profession who ensure that the service is provided to the highest standards.
The authors would like to thank the nine participants who participated in the one-to-one semi-structured interview for their time and effort. They were selected at different stages of their medical training and from a wide range of backgrounds. From their second year at BSMS, to just finishing their fifth year at medical school. They were interviewed by video or email, and were asked to speak about their experiences in choosing the field of psychiatry as a career.