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0203 326 9160 0203 761 7026 0203 761 7027 0203 761 7029There are many complexities and lots of questions surrounding NHS right to choose. These include queries over eligibility, how to pick the right provider, and much more. On this page, we break things down to help you understand how everything works.
Due to high demand, we're not currently accepting new NHS right to choose referrals. We aim to have more capacity to accept new referrals later in the year and plan to start accepting referrals and begin assessments from autumn 2022.
NHS waiting lists to receive an assessment for autism or ADHD, respectively, are often very long. Understandably, many people on these waiting lists want to explore other options. Some people consider a private assessment, while others use their right to choose.
Right to choose gives you the legal right to choose the service or hospital that provides your physical and mental health care. This means that if your GP refers you for mental health treatment, in most cases, you can choose the provider that best suits your needs.
You can choose which consultant-led team will be in charge of your treatment, as long as the team or individual requested is in England and is fully qualified to provide the treatment you require.
If your GP surgery is registered in England and you've been referred by your GP to a consultant or specialist in mental health, you have the legal right to choose your mental health service provider.
However, you do not have the right to choose if:
Please note that we are not currently accepting new referrals. When we do reopen the service, we will need to see a referral letter from your GP detailing the following information.
Please note that failure to provide this information will likely result in delays in your assessment.
You can find out details of your local CCG, including how to contact them on the NHS website. When speaking with your CCG, please ask them to email us at [email protected] with any further correspondence.
If you were assessed for ADHD by an NHS consultant psychiatrist, then you can only have a second opinion if you pay privately. However, if your initial diagnosis was a private one, you can access an assessment from Clinical Partners under your right to choose, as long as your GP is prepared to refer you.
It may be that your GP is refusing to refer you due to funding concerns and not a clinical reason. In this instance, you can ask them to read the NHS information governing patient choice.
This is a legal right. If you're not offered a choice at the point of referral, ask your doctor why and say that you wish to go through your options.
No. Current NHS rules state that the referral must come from your GP. You can self-refer if you are paying privately.
Yes, we hold NHS contracts with CCGs across England to deliver ADHD and ASD assessment and treatment services to adults, children and adolescents.
At the end of the titration period, a shared care agreement (SCA) is sent to your GP so that they can take over the prescribing. Most GPs are happy to take this on, but there is no obligation for them to do so. There are also some areas of England where certain medications cannot be prescribed by a GP and they are legally unable to accept the SCA. In these cases, we would continue to prescribe for you and invoice the CCG.
We do not currently offer titration under right to choose for new referrals.
Right to choose appointments are currently on hold. They are due to resume in September 2022. You will be contacted before then to discuss the assessment and the pre-assessment information we require and to book your assessment date.
Please email us at [email protected] with your name and the details of your GP. We will investigate and respond to you in due course.