Adhd - private assessment query

[Leah2005]

My son has been diagnosed with adhd at uni (I posted on here previously regarding his depression). He now needs the psychiatry assessment to get access to meds. Psychiatry UK is way behind - can anyone tell me how it works if we go for a private assessment? Will he have to pay for medication or does he get an NHS prescription? How does it work for ongoing appointments? I'm trying to work out how much this could potentially cost and if I can afford it.

F

My understanding with Psychiatry UK is that you get put on the same waiting list as NHS patients so I don't believe that paying privately will expedite anything with them.

I think that shared care can often happen once the titration period is finished with a private provider but I think it's likely you'd be paying private fees until that point.

I went with psychiatry U.K. before they got quite so overbooked. It did come through quicker than an nhs referral as I just booked the first available appointment on their site. I may have got lucky.

You pay for private prescription during titration, so until you’re on a stable dose, so you pay psych uk for issuing the prescription and then the pharmacy for the cost of the drug. Once on a stable dose the gp can prescribe. I understand that in England they have to accept shared care but you might want to check that before going ahead.

How desperate is your Son's situation OP? Bearing in mind that medication doesn't work for everyone anyway?

My GP referred my to Psychiatry UK in April and I was diagnosed in July. Now on the waiting list for titration along with all the other private patients, private patients don't have priority over NHS, it goes by diagnosis date.

As whenzoom has described, however, if you go private with P-UK you will pay for all appts/prescriptions until your stable prescription is ready to be handed over under shared care, and this is not always possible.

I don't think you'll expedite anything by getting involved and I think you need to explore whether medication might be the silver bullet you think it could be.

I had an appointment with Clinical Partners, who titrate my meds and my GP prescribes them.

@parrotonmyshoulder excuse my ignorance - what/who are Clinical Partners?
@bluerecruit he has taken 18 months out of uni and we would like him to be able to explore all options available before he goes back. He had got really quite low before he came home and we are not sure if his struggle with adhd is contributing towards his depression.

@parrotonmyshoulder - just googled it and found them straight away! I have never heard of the group. Thank you for the tip. Can I ask who you saw?

[quote Leah2005]@parrotonmyshoulder excuse my ignorance - what/who are Clinical Partners?
@bluerecruit he has taken 18 months out of uni and we would like him to be able to explore all options available before he goes back. He had got really quite low before he came home and we are not sure if his struggle with adhd is contributing towards his depression.[/quote]
Ok, sorry to hear that, so what is he doing to address his depression? Is he proactive in himself in terms of managing what's going on with his wellness in general. He is an adult now, are you trying to assume responsibility for 'fixing him' with money? Has he asked you to consider throwing money at ADHD medication or do you see this as a quick fix?

As I've said ADHD medication isn't a magic bullet. Ideally, it should be combined with strategies/coaching etc....any intervention should come from his desire for it. What does he think?