to think that a referral to a counsellor for depression should take less than 4 months!

[cfc]

My sister needs a referral to a counsellor and via her GP has been told that she can expect to wait 4 months for this referral.

My mother and I are looking into paying for a counsellor, but where do we start? I don't have any recommendations. If we start to pay, will she be entitled to the NHS referral when it finally comes?

What a mess. I feel like I'm swimming in quick sand - I can't get an answer online, has anyone got any insider info? Please.

8 month wait here for 6 sessions. Does your sister work? Often you can get counselling quicker through Occupational Health.

www.bacp.co.uk/ is a good place to start looking.

My son has been waiting 15 months now.

18 month wait here
I think you have to pay for private really

Your GP should be able to refer you to a counsellor privately - do seek a doctor's recommendation to make sure you get someone with the skills to help your sister. In the meantime, your sister will stay on the waiting list and will still be entitled to have the NHS counselling if she still needs it. My mother has done same with physio - private to help in the short term whilst waiting for the nhs referral.

it doesn't surprise me - my sil has completed her masters in counselling after her master in social work and a degree - but all the counselling post are voluntary - which she does - but there are very few jobs in it

DH waited a year. We finally found a charity group that charges a small fee for counselling when DH received a letter from the NHS phone counselling service that took him off the waiting list because he didn't call in regularly to check on how soon it would be for a counsellor (after they specifically told him NOT to call in to check, that they would get back with him eventually but that it would most likely be months). Useless.