Please telephone our office on 020 7125 0114 to arrange an appointment. Once an appointment has been arranged we will write to you either by email or by post. In addition to confirming your appointment we will send you two forms to complete for our records. We also send new patients some directions to assist them in locating the clinic they are due to attend.

We do not operate a waiting list. We will offer you the soonest appointment available. If the there isn't a suitable appointment at the clinic that is most convenient for you then we will offer you the soonest appointment available at our other clinics.

If you have not already done so contact your GP to obtain a referral letter. It is not only good practice that you inform your GP but also a requirement for anyone intending to rely on medical insurance that a referral letter must be obtained before coming to see us.

If you have medical insurance, contact your insurer and advise them that you want to come and see us. We are registered with all of the major insurers. Once your insurers have confirmed that cover is available you will be given a pre-authorisation. The form of pre-authorisation may be a number or claim form to complete (depending on the insurer).

When you receive the appointment letter - either by post or email - you will also receive two forms to complete for our records. Please ensure that these forms are fully completed. If there is time before your appointment please return the completed forms to our office. Otherwise please bring them with you to the appointment.

Please make sure you bring any of the following that apply to you:

• The two forms we have sent to you to complete before your first appointment.
• A list of any medications, and doses taken.
• A list or note of the symptoms or difficulties that have caused you to want an appointment.

You can also bring any of the following if you wish:
•A family member or close friend. If you want they can be present during part of our meeting.
•A list of any questions you want to ask, they may help you to focus on what you want to know.

Normally first appointments take up to one hour. In certain cases the appointment may need to be longer. For instance memory assessments take up to one and a half hours.

We will ask you to discuss your symptoms, concerns and any circumstances that may be contributing to your difficulties. We will also ask you for some information about your background, family, relationships, lifestyle and general health as these contribute to a full understanding of the difficulty that you want to deal with.

We usually see patients on their own but a relative or friend is welcome to attend with you, if you would prefer. A relative or close friend may be able to provide us with some collateral history to add to our assessment.

Psychiatrists go through the same medical training as all other doctors. On completion of medical training we have chosen to specialise in psychiatry. Like other consultant doctors we are able to diagnose and treat specific ailments. This may involve prescribing medication or referral for therapy

It is important to see a psychiatrist who is capable and skilled in the problem with which you need help. The psychiatrist should be calm and understanding and should take an interest in you and what is troubling you. They also need to give you confidence that they have understood what you have told them, and are able to explain the treatment that you need, leaving you feeling that you have been heard and your concerns and opinions have been respected. On a more fundamental level you need to find a psychiatrist with whom you will be comfortable sharing your inner-most concerns fears and hopes.

This will depend on the nature of the difficulty that you are experiencing. As psychiatrists we are medically qualified doctors so we are able to prescribe appropriate medication where that is required. However we do not start from a position of assuming medication will be the solution but base our treatment recommendations on what we believe is best for each individual.

Psychologists and therapists provide, depending on their experience and training, a range of therapeutic interventions. If you are advised that a referral for therapy is recommended we will discuss with you what form of therapy would be preferable and we will refer you to the most appropriately skilled psychologist or therapist available.

Whether you will need therapy is something we will discuss with you while we are assessing the best approach to deal with your difficulties. If you require therapy we always endeavour to match patients to the most appropriately therapist available.

If you have looked around our website and you are ready to arrange an appointment then please telephone our office of 020 7125 0114.

If you still have questions then please either telephone our office of 020 7125 0114 or email your question to us on info@carepsychiatry.com.

If you have decided that you wish to continue your search then we thank you for your interest and wish you every success in finding a psychiatrist you will be comfortable to work with.

We are registered with all of the major medical insurance companies. It is important that you contact your insurer to confirm that they will cover the cost of your appointment before you actually attend your first appointment. If you do not contact your insurer in advance they may refuse to accept responsibility for the costs leaving you to settle the account.

If you do not have insurance to cover the cost of an appointment you will need to be able to pay for your appointment yourself.

It is preferable that your GP knows that you want to see a psychiatrist. However, it is not essential for you to tell your GP in any great detail about the reason why you want to see a psychiatrist.

The most important reason for your GP to know what is happening is that the GP holds an overall view of your medical well-being. Your GP may be able to provide additional information (it may be that something you overlook or which seems irrelevant may help us to understand your particular difficulty) that will enable us to treat you more effectively.

If you are intending to use any medical insurance to pay for your appointment then you must have a referral letter from your GP or employers occupational health adviser.

If you are intending to rely on medical insurance you must have a referral letter from your GP or employers Occupational Health adviser.

We recommend that you register with your local NHS GP.

Alternatively, we can supply a list of private GP's operating in the London area. We do not make recommendations, the list we supply simply comprises the private GP's of whom we are aware. You may use the list to help you locate a GP or simply contact any GP of your own choosing.

Just as the reason why different people seek appointments vary, so the cost of treatment may vary. We operate a standard rate for appointments based on the appointment duration. As the rates will vary over time please telephone our office on 020 7125 0114 to discuss, in confidence, the cost of an appointment.

The number of appointments will understandably vary from one patient to another depending on the nature and complexity of the difficulty they are seeking help with. Generally, we see patients once or twice to determine the exact nature of their difficulty and then, if necessary, refer on to a therapist for psychological therapy.

If you are referred for therapy then you would remain under our overall supervision and so you will be invited periodically to attend review appointments.

Currently we accept payments via cheque or cash. We are in the process of setting up facilities to accept credit/debit card payments.

If we believe it would be the best solution for you then we may recommend a period of in-patient treatment.

We understand that many patients are reluctant to be in-patients so we encourage patients who will benefit from this form of treatment, but who are afraid of the unknown environment, to visit the hospital and look around the facilities. You are welcome to take family or friends along for the visit.

The main advantage of in-patient treatment is that it allows patients to engage in an intensive course of therapy and/or make any necessary changes to their medication in a monitored environment. This will enable greater changes to be made in a shorter period of time.

We currently have admission privileges at:

• Cygnet Hospital Godden Green, Godden Green, Sevenoaks, Kent.
• The Capio Nightingale Hospital. Lisson Grove, London

Out patients are seen by us in the clinic for review and follow-up appointments. They only attend on an agreed timescale which will vary depending on the amount of work to be done.

Day patients attend hospital for an agreed number of days each week. Similar to in-patient treatment, this enables them to engage in an intensive course of therapy and/or make any necessary changes to their medication in a monitored environment. The major difference between day patient and in-patient treatment is that at the end of the daily sessions day patients return home for the night.

This option is often used as a "step down" from in-patient care to enable intensive work to be continued or to avoid any potential for relapse.