A private London clinic integrating psychiatry and psychology
Student Mental Health Service FAQs
It is very common to have many questions when considering seeking support for your mental health, especially if you have not grown up in the UK; we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions below and have further information on our General FAQs page here, but - if you have any further queries - please do feel free to write to us to discuss.
My university has provided me with private medical insurance. Will I be able to use this to see and of your clinicians?
Most of our clinicians accept all international insurers and accept their fee levels. If you are unsure, you can check whether a specific clinician accepts a specific insurer with our Patient Services team.
Will I be able to continue seeing my clinician when I go back to my country of origin, if I am a study abroad student?
We are only able to hold consultations when both clinician and patient are in the UK at the time of the appointment. This means that if you relocate to a different country, your clinician will need to end your care and discharge you. As many of our clinicians have experience with this, they will be aware of the shorter-term nature of your work together and your plan will factor the duration of your time in the UK. They will also be able to write an onwards referral for you that summarises your presenting issues and the progress you’ve made so that you can resume your treatment with another clinician.
I already have a psychiatrist in another country but just need medication prescribed here. How does this work?
Our psychiatrists are all able to prescribe medication and are happy to see patients for medication reviews. They will need to carry out an initial assessment (link to assessment service), and a referral letter from your psychiatrist at home or GP would be valued greatly. If your continuation of care refers to ADHD treatment, see here.
Can I access both psychiatry and psychology services within SCC?
The clinic offers both psychiatry and psychology services, and our clinicians regularly, though not exclusively, make internal referrals to their SCC colleagues. Generally new patients will first be seen by one of our psychiatrists, who can refer on to our psychology services where appropriate.
What if I feel I may have symptoms of more than one potential diagnosis?
If you feel you may be experiencing symptoms of more than one diagnosis, the best place to start would be seeing a General Psychiatrist, as they will be able to assess your symptoms and their extent and recommend further specialist intervention, if deemed necessary. There are some mental health disorders that commonly occur together, and this is relevant in informing treatment options. General psychiatrists and psychologists are well placed to treat patients’ mental health holistically and know to refer to sub-specialists where needed.
What therapies do you offer?
The clinic offers a range of therapies including, CAT, CBT, Compassion Focussed Therapy, EMDR, Family and Couples Therapy, Integrative Therapy, Mindfulness-based CBT, Psychological Therapy for ADHD and ASD, Schema Therapy and CBT-I. Also, aspects of DBT such as Skills Training.
Will I always be prescribed medication?
During your psychiatric assessment and follow up appointments, you and your psychiatrist will have the opportunity to discuss suitable treatment options, which may include medication. Your psychiatrist will be able to present the different options to you and explain what they think would be best. This does not always mean that medication will be prescribed as it is not always the best treatment option, and in these cases, your psychiatrist will discuss alternative treatments with you, such as psychological therapy.
Medication is often used where a person has overwhelming distress from their symptoms, and/or functional impairment of their daily living skills and work, but its use is always a collaborative decision.