How to prepare for a first private psychiatry appointment

For a first appointment with Dr Ahmed Shoka, Consultant Psychiatrist at Medical Express Clinic, have four things ready: a note of what has changed and when, a list of everything you take, any letters or results, and a quiet private room for the video call. The appointment runs for 50 to 60 minutes by secure video and costs £250. Most of the hour is spent talking, and you leave with a clear idea of what Dr Shoka thinks is going on and what could help.

If you would rather start now than read on, send a psychiatry enquiry or call 0207 499 1991. The sections below follow the appointment in order, so you know each step before you take it.

Step 1: send an enquiry

Use the confidential form on the psychiatry page, or phone the team. At Medical Express Clinic the team then contacts you to agree a time. If you are unsure whether you need a first assessment or a follow-up, say so in your message and they will advise before confirming anything.

The clinic is open Monday to Friday 09:00 to 18:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 14:00.

Step 2: have a few things ready

A psychiatrist builds a picture from your history, so a little preparation makes the hour more useful. It helps to have:

• a note of what has changed lately, and roughly when it started
• the names and doses of anything you take, including supplements
• any letters or results from your GP or another specialist
• a quiet, private room with a steady connection, and headphones if you like

Rough notes are fine. Dr Shoka will ask the questions, and you can leave out anything you are not ready to say yet.

Step 3: the consultation itself

Your appointment takes place by secure video. In person is possible at 117a Harley Street, and you can ask for it when you enquire.

Over 50 to 60 minutes, Dr Shoka covers four things:

1. Your story. Your psychiatric, medical and personal history, including sleep, work and what daily life looks like at the moment.
2. A mental state examination. A structured set of questions and observations about mood, thinking and concentration. It reads like a careful conversation.
3. His impressions. Dr Shoka tells you plainly what he thinks is happening and why.
4. A formulation and next steps. This is a short explanation of how your history fits together, followed by a plan you agree on together. Any treatment suggestion is discussed with you first.

The assessment is an objective clinical review, so what comes out of it depends on what Dr Shoka finds, rather than being decided in advance.

Step 4: the plan and what follows

Next steps vary. Some people leave with a clearer understanding and a plan to try over several weeks. Others are asked to have a physical check, or are advised to come back for a review.

A 30-minute follow-up is £200 when it is clinically suitable. Follow-ups are arranged when they would help, so there is no commitment to return at the first visit.

Physical checks in the same building

Low mood, anxiety and poor sleep can have physical contributors, such as an underactive thyroid. If Dr Shoka would like those looked at first, a private GP at 117a Harley Street can do it. A GP appointment is £150 with no fixed time limit, and the GP can arrange blood tests, including thyroid, and an ECG the same day, so the results are ready for your psychiatry appointment.

Struggling mainly with memory or thinking? That is a different service, the memory clinic led by Prof Rather. Our guide on choosing a GP or psychiatrist explains who suits which situation.

If you are in immediate danger, call 999. For urgent help that is not an emergency, use the mental health option on NHS 111, or call Samaritans on 116 123.

Book your first appointment

Dr Shoka sees patients for private psychiatry at 117a Harley Street, London W1G 6AT, mostly by secure video. Send an enquiry on our psychiatry page or call 0207 499 1991, and the team will arrange a time.