We understand that choosing a private psychiatrist is an important decision. Whether you are seeking support for ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, autism, or another mental health condition, the best psychiatrists understand you deserve not only diagnostic clarity but a holistic service. When you see a psychiatrist, you should feel heard and understood, whilst receiving evidence based and compassionate care.
At present long NHS waiting lists can be a significant barrier to accessing care. When considering accessing private psychiatry there are several factors to consider.
Consultant Expertise and Accreditation
What is a consultant?
Consultants are the highest-qualified doctors in the UK. They lead clinical services, take overall responsibility for patients and are uniquely qualified to manage complex cases.
In the UK, in order to be a consultant, doctors have to complete recognised postgraduate training in their chosen specialty. This can take anywhere from 5-10+ years after graduation, and usually includes experience across different areas and sitting written and practical examinations from their Royal College.
Accreditation
In psychiatry all doctors will work for three years in different areas of psychiatry before choosing their specific specialty. There are lots of different specialties of psychiatry in the UK including: child and adolescent, perinatal, general adult, older adult, forensics, addictions, rehabilitation, liaison and psychotherapy. Some consultant psychiatrists will train in more than one specialty.
When considering accessing private psychiatry you should search the General Medical Council (GMC) website to ensure the clinician is qualified as a consultant. Once a clinician qualifies as a consultant, they are added to the GMC specialist register. The GMC will tell you when they were added to the specialist register and also what specialty they are an expert in. Some consultants also have additional roles in education and training resident doctors.
If a clinician is not on the specialist register, they may have some experience in their field, but they will not have completed the required training or exams to be certified as a consultant.
You can check the specialist register here: Search the GMC Register
Our consultants are Dr Alexandra Pittock and Dr Amy Martin. Both are on the specialist register for General Adult Psychiatry with additional specialist endorsements in Liaison Psychiatry and Addictions Psychiatry respectively.
What is a Good Assessment?
Person-Centred Approach
A good psychiatrist needs both clinical expertise and the ability to relate to you as a person. We know seeing a psychiatrist can be anxiety provoking. You should feel respected and supported during this process. Every patient is different and these individual differences are what makes psychiatry such a fascinating speciality.
Comprehensive Assessments Not Quick Consultations
Good quality care means having the time to listen to and understand the patient. It is important that your current challenges and symptoms, as well as your previous experiences, physical health and lifestyle factors are all considered. Our psychiatric assessments take the time required to gain all the important information, allowing for a more robust diagnosis and informed decision making.
An experienced consultant does not rely on lists of symptoms and checklists. We know that people are all individuals and our experience allows us to look at the whole picture, rather than try to get you to fit into one diagnostic box.
Specialist Experience in Neurodevelopmental Conditions
We know that a significant number of the population have an underlying neurodivergent condition. Not all psychiatrists have experience in ADHD or autism. We often see patients who come to us with another problem and do not realise that they are neurodivergent too. Seeing a psychiatrist who has adequate knowledge and experience is crucial to receiving good quality care.
ADHD and ASD assessments require a specialist understanding of how symptoms can present differently in adults, particularly in women and individuals who may be masking or have been missed earlier in life. Neurodevelopmental disorders can also be missed due to “diagnostic overshadowing”. Diagnostic overshadowing is when one condition can mask another, leading to partial or missed diagnoses. For example, autism may be missed in someone whose ADHD is more prominent.
It is also recognised that individuals who have ADHD or ASD can have co-occurring conditions, for example anxiety or mood disorders. People with ADHD have a higher risk of developing anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders (Kandi and Jha 2023). It is really important that any psychiatrist you see can identify any co-occurring conditions. This provides diagnostic clarity and allows you to develop together an evidence-based treatment plan that actually works for you.
Accessibility and Transparency
Faster access to assessment and treatment planning is a significant driver for individuals considering private healthcare. Aspects to consider are whether a clinic accepts self-referrals, whether they provide in person or online consultations and how soon you can be seen.
Trustworthy private healthcare providers are transparent about pricing and treatment expectations. By providing clarity in relation to costs this allows individuals to make informed decisions when accessing private healthcare.
Psychiatrists Vs. Psychologists
Sometimes people get confused about the difference between psychiatrists and psychologists. Both types of professional fulfil an important role in supporting an individual’s mental health. Psychiatrists have a medical degree and have completed at least 8 years of postgraduate training and exams to become a consultant psychiatrist. Their specialist training allows them to diagnose and treat mental health disorders. They are qualified to prescribe medications, including controlled drugs, for example stimulant medication for the treatment of ADHD.
There are lots of types of psychological therapists, who will have different amounts of experience and training. Clinical Psychologists are highly trained in psychological therapies, often focusing on patients’ previous experiences, behaviours, thoughts and emotions. They also have the title ‘Dr’ but this is because they have a doctorate in clinical psychology, rather than a medical degree. Psychologists in general are not trained in diagnosing mental disorders. They cannot prescribe any medications.
Collaborative Care
Psychiatrists often work closely with other healthcare professionals, including psychologists, to provide care. This ensures that people can receive the best treatment plan possible. The psychiatrist’s main role is to provide ongoing assessment, medication monitoring, and effective psychiatric treatment planning.
Finally…
The best psychiatrists combine clinical expertise with empathy, transparency, detailed assessments, and a genuine desire to provide high quality care.
We look forward to meeting you and making a positive impact on your life.
Sources
Kandi, R., & Jha, S. (2023). Anxiety disorders in adult ADHD: A frequent comorbidity and a risk factor for externalizing problems. Journal of Affective Disorders, 329, 362–370
Dr Amy Martin is a consultant psychiatrist, and co-founder of The Mind & Psychiatry Clinic. She provides private psychiatric services in Edinburgh and via secure video consultation across the UK.
