Getting an appointment with a psychiatrist

You'll usually need a referral from your GP or another doctor to see a psychiatrist on the NHS.

Your GP may refer you directly to a psychiatrist or to a member of a local mental health team, who can assess your needs and help determineif you need to see a psychiatrist or a different mental health professional.

You can also see apsychiatrist privately, although most private psychiatrists prefera referral from your GP.Your GP may be able to recommend psychiatrists in your area. You can also try contacting a psychiatric clinic directly or usingonline services such as Psychiatry UK .

You'll see a psychiatrist who specialises in the area of psychiatry most relevant to your situation. The main areas of expertise include:

• childhood and adolescent psychiatry
• general adult psychiatry
• older person's psychiatry
• learning disabilities
• psychotherapy (talking therapies)

You can check the details of a psychiatrist, including their area of speciality, by looking on the medical register , a directory of all practising doctors in the UK.

If they have the letters MRCPsych (Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists) or FRCPsych (Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists) after their name, they're a current member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) .