Private psychiatry and mental health in Leicester: what the hospitals list

Nuffield Health Leicester lists psychiatry among its services on Scraptoft Lane. Its page names alcohol and substance misuse, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, relationship problems, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress and psychosexual problems among the conditions it addresses.

It says an assessment looks at your physical and mental state and your personal and family history, and that care may include medication, counselling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis or behaviour therapy. Sessions are one-to-one outpatient clinics with psychiatrists, described as confidential.

The most unusual line for patients is that the service is available to anyone and you do not need a referral from a GP or another professional. That removes one hurdle, but it does not mean your GP should be left out: sharing the plan helps prescribing and physical health checks, and insurers may still expect a referral. The page gave no age limits.

Spire Leicester lists mental health among its treatment areas. The page says common conditions are depression, anxiety, addictions and stress, notes that these can be as debilitating as physical illness, and describes diagnosis, treatment and counselling where necessary.

It mentions consultants and a section for its psychologists, but does not name who sees patients or give an age range, and it says nothing about referral. Treat this as a prompt to ask directly: who will assess me, will that be a psychiatrist or a psychologist, and what happens next?

The hospital is on Gartree Road, Oadby, LE2 2FF, about a 15-minute taxi from Leicester station, with free unlimited parking.

NHS mental health care locally is planned by NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB. We did not verify from the NHS sources we read which organisation provides specialist mental health services here, so your GP is the person to ask about local NHS talking therapies, community teams and waiting times.

In England the right to choose can apply to some mental health referrals made by a GP to a consultant-led service, though it does not apply to every pathway. NHS 111 offers a mental health option for urgent but non-emergency help, and A&E at Leicester Royal Infirmary is the county's only emergency department, according to the trust.

A first appointment is a long conversation. The psychiatrist usually asks about your current symptoms, sleep, appetite, energy, mood and thoughts, your past mental health, your physical health, medicines, alcohol and drug use, and family history. Bring a list of medicines and anything you have written down about your symptoms.

A diagnosis is not always made at once. Some people leave with a plan to monitor, try psychological therapy, or start a medicine such as an antidepressant, with a review arranged within a few weeks. Different conditions need different approaches: bipolar disorder and OCD, for example, have well-established treatment pathways that a specialist will explain.

Psychiatrists are doctors and can prescribe; psychologists and counsellors provide talking therapies but do not prescribe. Knowing which you need is part of the first conversation.

Mental health care is usually delivered over many appointments, so the cost and logistics build up. Both hospitals say they offer self-pay and insurance routes, and an insurer may limit the number of sessions or require a diagnosis before cover starts.

• Ask who will assess you, a psychiatrist or a psychologist, and how long the first appointment lasts.

• Ask how follow-up works and whether the same clinician sees you each time.

• Ask what the quote covers and whether psychotherapy is charged per session.

• Ask how the clinic communicates with your GP, and how to reach someone between appointments.

• Ask whether the service sees adults, young people or both.

If you or someone you know is thinking of ending their life, or has taken an overdose, call 999 or go to A&E. If you need help urgently but it is not an emergency, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or contact your GP. Private outpatient clinics are not crisis services.

Details above may change; confirm services with each hospital before relying on them.