Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a mental health assessment?
A mental health assessment is a process used to evaluate your mental and emotional well-being, including your symptoms, history, and current functioning.
Who conducts the mental health assessment?
The mental health assessment is conducted by Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Iqbal Mohiuddin.
What types of questions are asked during the mental health assessment?
The consultant psychiatrist may ask questions about your symptoms, medical and psychiatric history, family history, and current functioning.
What assessments are used to diagnose mental health conditions?
There are a variety of assessments that can be used to diagnose mental health conditions, including the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), psychological testing, and symptom inventories.
How long does a mental health assessment take?
The length of a mental health assessment can vary depending on your needs and the complexity of your case but it is typically 1 hour, and up to 3 hours for Adult ADHD assessment. However, ongoing assessment can range from one or two sessions to several weeks or months of evaluation depending on the complexity.
When can I have an appointment?
Out-of-hours appointments for private mental health assessment or Adult ADHD assessment are available within a month. A private consultation needs to be booked in advance by calling 0800 779 7800. Secure online video consultation (telehealth) is available via Skype, MS Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, Apple FaceTime, or WhatsApp video, as well as face-to-face or telephone consultation.
Emergency consultations are not routinely available. Call NHS 111 or attend your local Accident and Emergency in the event of a life-threatening emergency. Otherwise, see your GP first. Samaritans can also be contacted on 116 123.
Do I need a GP referral requesting a psychiatric assessment?
A GP referral prior to the initial assessment is preferable, as well as informing your GP of any recommendations for medication and treatment. However, we appreciate that strict privacy, confidentiality, and discretion need to be maintained and that private patients may not wish to share personal information with their GP. Most of our patients self-refer and many of our patients choose not to have their GP involved for a variety of reasons.
How many sessions will I need?
Our patients start to feel better after their initial assessment. Medical and psychosocial recommendations are given about the best course of action for treatment and recovery. Further treatment sessions and psychotherapy may be needed to treat more severe, complex, or long-standing problems. Mild to moderate problems tend to need several treatment sessions, whilst more severe and complex problems may need longer-term psychotherapy and medication for effective recovery and relapse prevention.
How can I pay for my consultation?
We accept payment in advance by BACS transfer, cash, or credit/ debit card via PayPal (IamPsychiatry). We also offer affordable payment plans over 1 to 3 months.
For further information please Contact IamPsychiatry.
Please kindly note that private patients need to be able to give their own consent to private psychiatric assessment, psychotherapy, and treatment prior to their initial assessment.
IamPsychiatry reserves the right to refuse to see patients unlikely to benefit from private mental health assessment and treatment.