Private mental health

[thatsthedream]

Hi our son (14) has been struggling for many months with his mental health.

We have got to the point now where he is simply no longer able to function.

The doctor has agreed to refer him to camhs but we are facing at least a few months waiting list.

He has had years of therapy for various issues but it’s like he’s just ground to a halt, I would describe it as nervous exhaustion. He is definitely depressed, suffered childhood trauma and is very likely autistic.

We are able to still access various talking therapies / CBT.

However we think he needs medication to give his brain a break and a chance to recover. We are considering going private for this. However we couldn’t afford this long term.

I am worried that if we find a private doctor and pay there will not be a link into the NHS at some point. Has anyone any experience or advice on our best chance of getting quick but sustainable help for our child.

thank you

The problem you describe is real.

If a private psychiatrist prescribes and then agrees to hand everything over to CAMHS, you're fine. But if they refuse, you will get nothing from CAMHS.

NHS mental health services won't hold all of the risk and responsibility, if a private clinician isn't communicating or including them in decision-making... and they won't do this, because they'd charge you a consultation fee for the conversation.

Sometimes it works perfectly, but sometimes it really doesn't. I can only advise that before you employ a private psychiatrist, you have this conversation with them and state your intentions and financial limits at the start.

We’ve done CAMHS and private , I’ve spent thousands but you can’t put a price on helping your child. Of course they will send a letter to your GP outlining any interventions. Just keep on top of the admin.

Sending a letter to your GP isn't the same as cooperating with CAMHS or doing a full transfer of care, so you're not paying the £80-400 per month in prescriptions.

Please be aware that if you seek private treatment CAMHS will most likely discharge you from their services if they find out.

we recently came to the top of the list for 1-1 sessions for OCD, my daughter was referred in September 2024 and assessed and on the list since the end of October 2024.

things got so bad for her with no help offered, I asked the GP for medication and they are not allowed to prescribe this type of medication for under 18s unless it has been given by a psychiatrist.

CAMHS told me that my daughter would need to have some of the 1-1 sessions with them first before she could see the psychiatrist.

it got to the point that my daughter couldn’t leave the house often, she could only manage school 1 or 2 days per week, was unable to socialise, slept a lot and was constantly needing to perform compulsions. CAMHS still said we needed to wait.

the GP suggested private psychiatric assessment and that if medication was given that they would take over once stable.

she is honestly a different girl now, it is like night and day however a lot of behaviours in connection with OCD have become really ingrained. She will likely struggle on and off during her life. I kick myself every day for waiting so long.

CAMHS contacted me at the end of May to offer her sessions starting on the 30th June. When I said that she now has a therapist privately and medication from a psychiatrist they withdrew her from the list. That would have been 8months of waiting from referral.

i have spent £800 of psychiatric assessments and follow ups and £100 weekly for therapy sessions since the start of February.

due to her level of needs she has just been granted DLA so at least her weekly therapy sessions will be covered by this now.

just be aware that if you choose private to stop your child becoming worse and be in a position where they may struggle with lasting effects then you may loose the ability to access CAMHS services.

the system is overwhelmed and broken

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to
comment. I do appreciate it.

At least I’m not imagining that this is a minefield. 😬

I think I’m best checking with the psychiatrist (once I’ve found one) and stating our intentions up front as TheOrb suggested.

It is hard as we’ve already had so much therapy, every new person now is a drain on energy for him.

I really wish there was an easy way to get everyone to work together. Like a mental health pathway with different bits ticked off by different people. I’m certain he will have to have additional therapy to qualify for medication which just seems ridiculous after the years he has done.

Thanks again.

I really wish there was an easy way to get everyone to work together. Like a mental health pathway with different bits ticked off by different people.

This is what should happen and also something that CAMHS is measured on by the CQC. Unfortunately, in my experience, it's the private practitioners who don't cooperate with the rest of the system. Sometimes it's just about practicalities (I've known some brilliant people not able to cooperate because families can't afford to send them to meetings) but sometimes it is arrogance, and occasionally rightly so... sometimes CAMHS staff don't understand policy and fear can drive behaviour instead.

I think if you go in knowing it's a minefield, you'll do a lot better.

Thanks TheOrb