From private to NHS?

[conversant]

Hello

My local mental healthcare is horrendous. I am thinking to go private but due to chronic condition, I will need to switch to NHS. Will that be possible?

Most of the doctors work in both but can a doctor refer me to their own NHS service from their private service?

I need urgent support now so going private would be critical and I don't mind waiting later to get into the NHS pathway.

Thanks!

Get yourself on a nhs waiting list. Get the referral from your GP. It may be a very long wait, depending on what you need. Then find the private care you need. Don't tell the NHS you are accessing private care. They may use this as a reason not to take you on.

No they wouldn’t be able to see you in their Nhs clinic. For any Nhs trust you have to be referred into their service, have an initial assessment. Once accepted then they create a care plan and can do all the referrals needed to medics etc.

OK but can a private consultant refer me to an NHS service?

Even if they could refer to their NHS service you would be placed at the bottom of the list otherwise it is paying to skip NHS waitlists. You need to get on a list asap and, if you feel you need it, get private care in the meantime.

We paid for a private child psychiatrist for my DD when she was 9 because of anxiety issues and the NHS wait for any help was 2 years. It was expensive (£40 per hour once a fortnight) and we had to majorly cut back to afford it but it helped massively. So much so we ended up not needed NHS referral in the end.