Psychiatrist fees - same person, different clinic, v different price?

[Basf]

I've been looking for a psychiatrist to see my DS(23) for depression/burnout ("lack of motivation" is how he would put his problem, but it's quite severe and there are other issues too).
Anyway, I thought I'd found someone suitable for his profile at a private clinic somehow attached to an NHS one.
He is already diagnosed with ADHD and ASD, so we are looking for a generic psych assessment. Bearing in mind that he has a second degree relative with schizophrenia.
The clinic quoted (after asking the psych himself about the case) around £1k for an initial appointment of a bit over an hour due to the complexity, then follow up for meds review if needed (and it will be).

However I can actually see that this same doctor is listed as staff at another private clinic, where the fee would be half that - but then the price structure is probably different, it shows £400 for setting up a medication plan, with a senior pharmacist. Then again, at the clinic I've contacted, setting up meds would also incur a fee (not sure how much exactly).

My question is: Do you think that the chances are that the price structures work out roughly the same in the end? Or have you found that there can be very big price differences between clinics for the same clinician, without real reason?
I don't really want to quibble the fees but I'm actually pretty hard up and no doubt there will be a lot more to come (therapy, private meds, coaching, whatever is needed...). Or is it possible that given DS's clinical picture, even the new clinic would put the price up for the initial consultation?

In addition, if anyone is able to recommend someone for his profile, please feel free to comment or pm me.
Many thanks

Is one in abig town or not? Id look for a breakdown on what your getting in terms of contact time and follow up

It’s in London, but will be remote consultations anyway. It’s hard to know how it would work out, whether Clinic B would also charge more once they hear of his complete story, exactly how much the med review would be in the end, I can’t really work it out. Is it a thing, though, that there are price differences, like you would pay more for the brand of the clinic or location (Harley St, Priory, Maudsley) than for the same person somewhere else? £900 feels so steep, I was expecting less. Particularly depressing as today DS doesn’t look like he wants to help himself, and tbh it’s money I can’t really afford in the first place ☹️

From experience of self funding private healthcare - yes, you absolutely do pay for the name/location of the clinic.
Being on Harley St or nearby is absolutely no guarantee of quality, neither is a CV which says how many publications the consultant has or what committees they are on as this doesn't give you any indication what they are like at actually managing patients. If your consultant works at the Maudsley, then that like tacks a couple of hundred quid on the price immediately.
I've done both seeing a local jobbing consultant who does some private work, and seeing a 'big name'. Honestly they were both as good but one of them cost a lot more!

From professional experience, The Priory is just a chain of private psych hospitals. It only has a big name from the era when celebs would book themselves in for 'too much partying'. It doesn't indicate anything else but they will have a lot of psychiatrists on their books.

£1K seems a lot when you are scraping it together to start with, and need to factor in the cost of any follow up appointments.

I suspect you could find a cheaper alternative who is appropriately skilled if you look around, and you would then have a bit towards follow up as well.

It doesn't at all seem excessive though depending on what it includes in terms of followup

If i was looking for a decent report to improve the level of care of NHS care id go for the cheaper option.

But I'd be much clearer on what was and wasn't included in terms of followup if I was looking for ongoing care with both options.

Also from experience of trying to find a psychiatrist to treat a very sick child urgently, the priory hospitals are very much more than just a "big name". Very few places will take on a child let alone a very ill child.

It doesn’t include any follow up, and so far I’ve even been too scared to ask how much follow up would be. Which is worse than stupid. Therapy would be between £100 and £400 a session depending on the clinician.
It does include a « formulation ».
PS: I hope the very ill child is feeling much better. 💐

I wouldn't embark on anything thati wasn't absolutely clear what was or wasn't included. If your not sure what you're paying for how can you make a best (or indeed any) guess if it meets need?

You're paying for it. In either case you should be clear what is and isn't involved. Don't be afraid to ask

Another user of self-funded psych care here...

The same clinician could have different fees with different clinics if the clinics add different fees to the clinician's hourly rate to cover their admin/advertising fees. This is where the glossy Harley St factor pushes prices up!

Also, some clinicians have a discounted hourly rate for self-funding patients vs patients using, e. g. BUPA, because dealing with health insurance companies is a PITA. Therefore, you might see their rates described differently in different places.

Definitely get a sense of what an overall course of initial assessment and treatment would cost before proceeding - clinics ought to be sympathetic to patients' families not having bottomless pockets - it's not unreasonable to ask for a ball park figure!

Hope your DS starts to feel better soon