What's happening in the private sector?
In January 2024, our researchers surveyed 435 private psychologists across the UK to learn about availability, waiting times and the cost of seeing them as a patient.
44% of private psychologists aren't taking on new patients
The most significant finding was that of those surveyed, 44% weren't taking on new patients, with more than two in five (38%) saying they're fully booked or citing other reasons (6%).
Availability by region of the UK
As you might expect, the availability of private psychology services varied significantly across the UK. South West England saw the worst availability, with only 43% of those surveyed able to take on new patients. In contrast, North East England had the best availability, with 68% saying they could book an initial appointment.
Waiting times to see a private psychologist
With 90% of NHS patients entering treatment within six weeks and 98% within 18 weeks, we wanted to understand if private patients had it any easier. We found that, on average, private patients looking for an initial consultation with a private psychologist were waiting just under three weeks. However, this varied significantly by region.
The longest wait times were in South West England, with average waits of five and a half weeks. Wales was recorded as the region with the shortest waiting times, typically seeing patients in less than a week.
How much does it cost to see a private psychologist?
With one in eight Britons now paying for private care due to lack of access to NHS services, we wanted to understand how much they were paying for psychology services. The average cost across the UK for an initial consultation with a private psychologist (for patients with depression and anxiety) was £125, again varying considerably by region.
Focusing on specific areas of the country, the North East of England was shown to be the most expensive, averaging at £155 for initial consultations. Other regions didn't see much improvement on this, with London averaging £154 and Wales typically sitting at £153.
Cost of follow-up appointments
Once patients are assessed in their initial consultation, their psychologist then decides on the path of treatment and whether a follow-up appointment is necessary. The UK average for follow-ups was recorded at around £116. Regionally, prices were highest in London, averaging £140, followed by the East Midlands (£139) and then North West England (£130).
Nationwide accessibility
Conducting this research meant looking at the granul
ar data and using it to assess the overall accessibility of private psychologists in the UK.
Taking into account availability, waiting times and cost, we found that Yorkshire and the Humber had the best access to private psychology services. This region averaged £108 for initial consultations and had a shorter wait time of 2 weeks. Elsewhere, the least accessible area was the South West of England, with a 6-week average wait time and only 43% of psychologists taking new patients.
What this means for mental health in the UK
Before we conducted our survey, we were aware of many of the issues facing both the private and public healthcare sectors. Our findings, however, highlight a worrying lack of access to private mental health care, especially in the worst-affected regions.
Your options when looking for a psychologist in the UK
For those struggling, there are still options. Many psychologists we surveyed offered remote appointments, so if you're finding it hard to access a private psychologist in your area, whether it's down to availability, cost or location - it's always worth looking further afield for an online or telephone consultation.
Another interesting and beneficial finding was that towns or cities relatively close to each other can have vastly different availability and pricing. So don't panic if your local psychologist is out of your price range; if you can travel, you may be able to find a more reasonably priced service outside of your local area.
How accessible are private psychologists in the UK?
Lack of accessibility to mental health support has the potential to impact the growing number of people with mental health conditions. In the worst affected areas, it means next to no access to mental health support, leading to worsening conditions.
For those looking into private mental health support, balancing cost, urgency, and location can be frustrating. However, by understanding the current private mental health care situation and assessing your needs, it is possible to access timely and affordable support.
