Private providers

Neuro assessments and use of private providers

When making arrangements with a private provider for any diagnosis/ treatment, you should check with your GP surgery whether they would accept a shared care agreement with your private provider.

A shared care agreement means that your child’s care and treatment will be shared between your private provider and your GP, and would allow your GP to continue most standard treatments started privately.

In these cases, your GP would be able to take over prescribing, however if you do require any reviews you would still need to access and pay for these privately up until the time we can offer an appointment and take over care in the NHS.

If your GP will not accept a shared care agreement with your chosen private provider, you will need to continue to pay privately for the medication as well as for the medication reviews.

Any review offered by CAMHS following private initiation of your treatment would subject to our usual waiting times and would not be expedited, hence the importance of the above. 

Pre-assessments

CAMHS have become aware of “pre-assessments” for ASD and ADHD being offered by some private companies.

Parents and carers are welcome to use these pre-assessment services if they choose to, but it is important to be clear that they are not necessary for any referral into CAMHS for ASD or ADHD assessments and do not replace any part of our assessment process.

They will not reduce wait times or result in a faster assessment.

Private treatment starts and ADHD medication

With regards to ADHD assessment, we recommend that you research private providers and ask them if their ADHD assessment is in line with NICE Guidance (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).

NICE guidelines are evidence-based recommendations for health and care in England. We would also advise a full discussion about the costs, including the costs for ADHD treatment should this be started by the private provider.

If you pay for an ADHD assessment privately and it does not meet the standards set out in NICE guidance then NHS services cannot provide further treatments, such as medication, on the basis of it.

Further assessment will be required first, and these would be subject to our usual waiting times.