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Psychiatry · London

Private psychiatric assessment - London

A 60 to 90 minute consultation with a GMC-registered consultant psychiatrist.

What it is

A structured interview, not a form-filling exercise.

The assessment is led by a GMC-registered consultant psychiatrist, in a private consultation room or by secure video. Expect 60 to 90 minutes of clinical questioning that follows a defined structure and covers current symptoms, personal and family psychiatric history, past and current medication, alcohol and substance use, and a proportionate risk assessment. Where they help clarify the picture, standardised tools are used alongside the interview - PHQ-9, GAD-7, MDQ, PCL-5, YBOCS or the ASRS. Everything is written up in a formulation that ties symptoms, history and context into a working diagnosis and a treatment plan.

When to go private

Seven reasons people book a private psychiatrist.

NHS psychiatry is excellent when you can access it. These are the situations where private care usually adds something real.

  • The diagnosis is unclear

    Mixed anxiety-depression, overlapping ADHD, autism and trauma need unhurried differentiation.

  • A medication review is overdue

    Long-term SSRI, mood stabiliser or stimulant regimens deserve a structured re-evaluation.

  • Treatment-resistant symptoms

    Two or more failed antidepressant trials, or ongoing symptoms despite therapy.

  • You want a second opinion

    Confirming or challenging an existing diagnosis before committing to long-term treatment.

  • Complex comorbidity

    Physical illness, addiction, perinatal issues or neurodivergence in combination.

  • Urgency

    You need to be seen within days, not the NHS twelve to eighteen week wait.

  • Work-related reasons

    Occupational health, fitness-to-practise, regulated professions and executive review.

Differential

What a first assessment is looking for.

A single symptom cluster - low mood, worry, restlessness, intrusive thoughts - can point to several conditions. The consultant works through the differential systematically.

  • Depression

    Unipolar, melancholic, atypical, seasonal or postnatal presentations.

  • Generalised anxiety

    Persistent worry, muscle tension, sleep disturbance and autonomic symptoms.

  • Panic disorder

    Recurrent panic attacks with or without agoraphobic avoidance.

  • PTSD and complex PTSD

    Trauma-related intrusion, avoidance, hyperarousal and altered self-perception.

  • Bipolar I and II

    Historical hypomania or mania, mood instability, cyclothymic patterns.

  • OCD

    Intrusive thoughts, compulsions, hoarding or body-focused variants.

  • Adult ADHD

    Inattention, executive dysfunction and impulsivity from childhood onward.

  • Autism spectrum

    Social communication differences, sensory profile and lifelong pattern.

  • Personality patterns

    Emotionally unstable, avoidant, obsessional and other enduring traits.

  • Psychosis

    First-episode assessment, unusual beliefs, perceptual disturbance.

  • ARFID and eating

    Restrictive, avoidant or binge-purge patterns, medical risk review.

What you receive

The paperwork that follows the appointment.

Four documents that keep the plan portable, whether you continue privately or return to NHS care.

  1. 01 Deliverable

    A written diagnostic report

    Formulation, ICD-11 or DSM-5-TR diagnoses, risk assessment and reasoning.

  2. 02 Deliverable

    A medication plan

    A private prescription with titration schedule and monitoring parameters.

  3. 03 Deliverable

    A shared care letter to your GP

    So NHS follow-up, blood tests and repeat prescribing can continue safely.

Follow-up

How the reviews are usually spaced.

Follow-up cadence is set by clinical need, not by a subscription.

  • Review at four to eight weeks

    A 30 to 45 minute appointment to check response, side effects and next steps.

  • Monthly titration

    While a new medication is being introduced, monthly reviews are standard.

  • Longer intervals when stable

    Every three to six months once the plan is settled and symptoms are controlled.

Cost in London

Honest ranges across the London market.

Fees vary with seniority, subspecialty and appointment length. Reports and letters are usually included; medication is billed separately by the pharmacy.

Item Indicative range
Initial consultant assessment (60 to 90 minutes) £350 to £850
Follow-up review (30 to 45 minutes) £200 to £450
Written diagnostic report Usually included
Private prescription £25 to £45

Where

The private psychiatry clinics in London.

Examples of CQC-registered private outpatient services in London. This is not a ranking or a recommendation - compare subspecialty, insurer, geography and personal fit.

  • Nightingale Hospital

    Marylebone

    Independent psychiatric hospital with inpatient and outpatient services.

  • The Priory

    Multiple London sites

    Nationwide network for mood, addiction and inpatient care.

  • One Welbeck Mental Health

    Marylebone

    Consultant-led outpatient psychiatry in a modern day-hospital setting.

  • The London Psychiatry Centre

    Harley Street

    Treatment-resistant depression, rTMS and second opinions.

  • Cadogan Clinic

    Chelsea

    Boutique consultant clinic covering anxiety, mood and ADHD.

  • Harley Therapy

    The City and Chelsea

    Consultant psychiatrists alongside a large therapist network.

  • HCA The Wellington

    St John's Wood

    Full-service private hospital with a mental health outpatient department.

Related

Adjacent assessments and condition guides.

If ADHD, autism, depression or anxiety is the question, start here.

Frequently asked

Insurance, prescriptions and shared care.

The six questions people ask most often before booking.

  • Is a private psychiatric assessment covered by insurance?

    Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva, WPA, Cigna and Healix generally cover consultant psychiatric assessment with a GP referral and pre-authorisation. ADHD and autism assessments are excluded by many policies, so always confirm before booking.

  • Can I take a private prescription to an NHS pharmacy?

    Yes. Any UK community pharmacy can dispense a valid private prescription. You pay the full drug cost rather than the NHS levy, so ask the pharmacist to quote before dispensing.

  • Is the consultation confidential?

    Yes. Private psychiatric records are held by the clinic and not shared with the NHS unless you consent, except in rare safeguarding or Mental Health Act situations. Insurers only receive coded billing information.

  • Will my GP accept shared care?

    Most GPs will accept shared care for common medications such as SSRIs, SNRIs and mood stabilisers. Controlled drugs, including stimulants for ADHD, depend on your local ICB policy and your GP's comfort.

  • Should I choose online or in-person?

    Video consultation is well suited to reviews, medication follow-up and geographic flexibility. A first diagnostic assessment, and any case involving significant risk, is usually better done in person.

  • What if I need urgent help?

    Private psychiatry is not an emergency service. If you are in crisis, call 999, go to A&E, or call the Samaritans on 116 123 or NHS 111.