Assessment pathway (at a glance)
1. Before your assessment (screening)
Once your assessment is booked, we will ask for:
- A brief summary of your current challenges and goals for support.
- Medical history (physical and mental health), including any previous diagnoses or hospital care.
- Current and past medications (name, dose, frequency, past responses/side effects).
- Relevant reports or letters (e.g., GP summaries, therapy notes).
- For children/young people: information from parents/carers and, where relevant, school/college.
- Screening forms sent by email. These must be completed before we schedule the assessment.
2. Your first appointment (comprehensive assessment)
During this appointment, the clinician will:
- Take a detailed history (current difficulties, past psychiatric history, risk, family history, social context).
- Review medical history and medications.
- Explore sleep, appetite, energy, mood, anxiety, attention, and any neurodevelopmental features.
- Complete a mental state examination.
- Consider diagnosis, provisional formulation, and initial recommendations.
Duration: Typically 60–90 minutes (may be longer for complex presentations or young people).
3. Feedback and care plan
- We explain our clinical impression and any working diagnosis.
- We agree a personalised care plan (e.g., medication, psychological therapies, lifestyle strategies, school/work adjustments).
- We provide a summary letter to you and, with consent, to your GP or relevant professionals.
4. Physical health checks & investigations (if starting or reviewing medication)
- Blood pressure, pulse, weight, height (baseline measurements).
- Blood tests and/or ECG when clinically indicated.
- Monitoring at intervals set out in prescribing guidance.
5. Starting medication (when appropriate)
- Discussion of expected benefits, side effects, alternatives, and monitoring.
- An initial prescription may be issued if clinically suitable.
- Dose adjustments are made gradually, guided by follow-up reviews.
Important: Medication costs are not included in consultation fees and are paid directly to the pharmacy.
6. Follow-up schedule (typical)
- Early reviews: 2–4 weeks after any medication start or change.
- Stabilisation phase: Monthly reviews until stable.
- Maintenance: Every 3–6 months (or sooner if needed).
Reviews can be virtual or in-person and include outcome measures and side-effect checks.
7) Prescriptions & refills
- Request refills about two weeks before your supply runs out.
- Most prescriptions are sent to a nominated pharmacy (postal or electronic options depending on medication and pharmacy policies).
- Some controlled medicines require the original hard-copy prescription before dispensing (legal requirement).
8) Shared care with your GP or discharge
- Once treatment is stable, we write to your GP to request a shared-care arrangement so your GP can continue prescribing and monitoring under our guidance.
- If specialist input is no longer required, we provide a comprehensive discharge summary and advice for your GP.
9) Fees, concessions, and cancellations
- Current pricing is available on our website.
- Concessions/discounts may be available — speak with our manager to discuss eligibility.
- See our website for the cancellation and DNA (Did Not Attend) policy.
Next Steps
PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENTS
Psychiatric Initial Assessment
PSYCHIATRIC FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS
Psychiatric Follow-Up Review (Online)
Psychiatric Follow-Up Appointment (Face to Face)
If you have any questions at any stage, we’re here to help.
