Clinical Psychology Appointment...

[cjemc]

Hello everyone,
I have finally taken some positive steps and referred myself for some help.

I am going to see a clinical psychologist. I am just very concerned about the stigma surrounding this though.

Will this be used against me/stay on my medical records for life?

I am scared that they will try to section me if I answer too many wrong answers which gives them cause for concern. Can they do this?

I am scared by the term Clinical Psychologist. Does clinical mean seriously ill in the sense it does if someone is clinically ill??? :ohmy:

[MrAndy]

Don't worry about their title they are just another person that's trained to help you
I doubt you will get sectioned ,I've seen lots of doctors and psychs and never got sectioned
Just go in with an open mind and be as honest as you can the more you tell them the more they can help

[cjemc]

Don't worry about their title they are just a human being that's trained to help you
I doubt you will get sectioned ,I've seen lots of doctors and psychs and never got sectioned
Just go in with an open mind and be as honest as you can the more you tell them the more they can help

Hello Greg, thank you for your response.

Just one further question.

Can these psychologists refer me for benefits? I fear it may come to that at some point. I may need to claim some form of Sick Pay or Incapacity Benefit.

[Randara]

Hello :)

Well done on taking that step, it's scary isn't it!

Is this for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or a gateway assessment? I had my first CBT session last week, and they explained at the beginning about the circumstances that they'll share information with your GP and any other medical professionals. No one external is going to find out about whether you've been to see one unless you tell them, everything you say will be confidential

I just found this description of a Clinical Psychologist on the NHS website:

"Clinical psychologists aim to reduce psychological distress and enhance and promote psychological well-being."

They are there to help you and will decide the best way that can be done, you need to be honest about how you're feeling and not worry about saying the 'wrong' answer. They won't be able to fully help you if you hold back.

When is your first appointment?

[MrAndy]

Hello Greg, thank you for your response.

Just one further question.

Can these psychologists refer me for benefits? I fear it may come to that at some point. I may need to claim some form of Sick Pay or Incapacity Benefit.
I think your GP would be able to help with that

[cjemc]

I think your GP would be able to help with that

Thank you Greg :hugs:

[MrAndy]

Thank you Greg :hugs:

Andy :)

[MyNameIsTerry]

Calum,

Well done for getting this far! Keep going.

Firstly, no a section is a legal process not just a medical one. There are lots of criterias and then there is a voluntary one (where you agree) or a mandatory one (where they determine you cannot make the decision) and these go through a process involving 3 people. They are typically for people who are in dire need right now and if your GP thought this was the case they would have called them in straight away and you don't wait for an appointment for obvious reasons.

So put that out of your mind because if you needed sectioning, you wouldn't have been on here, you would have already gone in.

Secondly, psychologists don't typically see & treat patients hence the term "clinical" implies ones that practices in a clinical setting.

Be as honest as you can about it all and the drinking element, please. They will get you the help you really need but they need to assess you in full.

Thirdly, your medical records will retain it, yes. They do every time you visit your GP so the fact he/she has already prescribed you antidepressants and made a basic OCD diagnosos means - it's already on your GP records. The NHS are centralising records but not all areas have done it but the aim is to allow hospitals, GP's, mental health services, etc to access centralised records to save them wasting time ringing around or missing or repeating things. This can already be done for some circumstances e.g. severe allergic reactions can be recorded on a patient central record by choice but not the level of the NHS centralisation programme.

Don't worry about stigma, no one can access these records by law without your consent. The only people who can are the central government i.e. an MP in charge of a dept requesting a release and then it's still kept at their end solely for the exercise they conduct. Data Protection laws are strict and medical professionals are even tighter on it due to how sensitive their data is. So, aside from a legal requirement to release it under the Data Protection Act, only you can authorise it or your doctors if they need to talk to other medical people in your benefit.

Don't worry, it will be safe and you can always ask to see them now by paying a small charge like with a Data Protection Release with any organisation who hold your details.

I'm glad your GP has finally referred you to a specialist, a GP is way out of his/her depth with what you have been describing.