The Right to Choose Psychiatry uk
As a patient you have the legal right to choose where you are referred for your treatment. This applies to services that are commissioned or supervised by CCGs and NHS England, as well as consultant-led elective treatments.
Psychiatry UK offers ADHD, Autism, and combined assessments as part of the NHS Right to Choice pathway. This enables those with long NHS waiting lists to make use of their right to choose a provider and reduce the time they wait for an assessment.
What is the best option to decide?
The right to choose psychiatry UK is an important legal rights that permits people to decide on their health care. This applies to many different services including assessments and treatment. If a patient is evaluated for a condition, such as ADHD they may choose to be referred to a different NHS service provider that is not in their local area. This is beneficial for many reasons, such as travel restrictions, or in the event that the patient needs to consult with a specialist about their condition.
The legal right of choice is currently available at the time of referral by the primary care physician to an initial outpatient appointment for a physical health issue or mental illness. It is only available to providers that are clinically appropriate and have a commissioning agreement with the CCG or NHS England (host commissioner) for that service.
If someone is referred by their local NHS Trust to receive an ADHD diagnosis and treatment, they are likely to be referred to an area mental health clinic. The wait time for a first appointment can be as long as 2 years. However, if the person has the right to choose they can choose to be directed to an online ADHD diagnosis service such as Psychiatry-UK that can provide a quicker route to diagnosis.
This is a positive development that could improve access to mental health care in the UK. It can be frustrating to wait for an assessment and then treatment. There are a variety of challenges in improving access to psychiatry services and the delivery of services in the UK. This includes a shortage of consultants and a drive to increase recruitment to the field.
If a doctor wishes to refer a child to Psychiatry UK for an online ADHD test under the lawful right of choice, they will have to write a short letter explaining the reasoning behind their decision. The letter should be directed directly to Psychiatry UK and include the name of the doctor at the bottom of the page (not ANP). The letter should also contain a brief summary of the patient's medical history and an completed AQ50 (click here for template). Psychiatry UK will then contact the referring GP for further details.
Who is eligible to make a choice?
In England If your doctor has recommended you to a team of consultants led by mental health professionals for assessment or treatment You may be eligible to apply for Right to Choose. This includes the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders for ADHD or Autism. This does not include any other NHS services, like counselling or psychotherapy. You are not able to be part of the Armed Forces or in a secure area (such as a prison or specialized training center or youth offenders' institution or an immigration removal center).
You must have been referred the provider of NHS services by your doctor to be able to be eligible for this privilege. The service you receive must be clinically appropriate to your requirements. Psychiatry UK offers ADHD assessments to adults and children who are under the age of 19 through Right to Choose. These assessments are conducted in person. They do however, provide an individual ADHD assessment for adults and children in the event that you prefer an appointment online. They can also provide the titration of medications following an assessment. However, this service is not available via RTC.
It is crucial to inform your GP that you want to exercise your right to choose. You can download a referral letter from most Right to Choose providers and send it to your GP. This letter will provide the information that they need to make an appointment. Click here to download an example of the template from Psychiatry UK.
How do I exercise my right to pick?
If your GP suggests you to seek specialist mental healthcare treatment you have a legal right to select the healthcare provider. Your choice will not cost the NHS any more than when you were referred by an NHS hospital. You are able to exercise your patient choice rights for any provider and service that has an NHS Standard Contract with any CCG or NHS England for the required service (this includes numerous private hospitals). You cannot use your right to choose to avail cancer treatment services that have a two-week waiting time, maternity services, or mental health services offered by the armed forces.
In a survey of intending psychiatrists conducted between one, three and five years following medical school, 4% of respondents chose psychiatry for their first choice of career. When compared with doctors who gave other clinical careers as their first choice, this figure was similar to the 3-4% who entered psychotherapy as a specialization in the USA. The figures were higher for women than for men, indicating a historical trend of more women choosing to become psychiatrists than males.
The decision of psychiatrists to pursue the field of psychiatry is influenced by a variety 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.
For those with ADHD, their GP can utilize the NHS's Right To Refer them to an assessment by Psychiatry UK on their own. This will result in an assessment and medication titration being offered by an expert ADHD clinician. GPs can get more information regarding this, including a download letter to give to their patients here.
You can only exercise your Right to Choice for other conditions, for example, OCD when your doctor recommends an assessment by a mental health professional and you've been discharged from the service. Your GP may request a referral from the specialist mental health service to Psychiatry-UK, and we can provide an independent assessment and titration of any medication prescribed.
What if I do not want to exercise my choice?
psychiatrists in uk do not have to make use of your right to choose whether or not you wish to. If you choose to exercise your right to choose, you must understand the implications. If you decide not to take advantage of this right, it can affect the speed at which you are able to get 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 essential to inform your GP immediately when you decide to not exercise this right. The GP should then refer you the service that best matches your needs. It's possible that you'll be required to wait longer for an appointment, but it's worth the wait if you feel it's right decision.
You can ask your GP if Psychiatry UK offers an online ADHD assessment. The website offers information on how to complete this, including a downloadable letter to give to your GP. This service can be offered to both adults and children but they don't offer titration for medication through the NHS following an assessment. They currently offer an assessment in Kent and Medway, Isle of Wight, and North East Hampshire.
Psychiatry UK is a non-profit association which offers free online consultations with qualified psychiatrists. Consultations can be scheduled via a secure online booking system. These appointments are recorded in the medical database and are used by a team specially trained clinicians for monitoring the health of the patient. These clinicians are also overseen by senior mental health professionals who ensure the treatment is provided at the highest quality.
The authors would like to thank the nine participants who took part in the one-to-one semi-structured interview for their time and energy. They were selected from different backgrounds and at different stages of their training, from the second year of BSMS to having just completed their fifth year of medical school. They were interviewed via video or email, and were asked to talk about their experiences of choosing the field of psychiatry as a career.