FAQs

📝 Getting Started 

  • We aim to offer appointments as soon as possible after we receive a referral and your completed pre-assessment forms. Once these are submitted, we will contact you with the next available options.

    To eliminate any delays, have your GP referral ready to upload and complete our pre-assessment forms now and send with your GP referral letter.

  • We help with a wide range of mental health and emotional difficulties in children and teens, including anxiety, low mood, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), trauma, behavioral issues, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other neurodiversity. 

  • We offer treatment to children and young people between the ages of 4 and 17. 

  • Yes, we accept referrals from both NHS and private GPs. This ensures that we are aware of any physical health problems, medications, or other concerns that may be contributing to the current problem. This helps us work safely and in collaboration with your child’s healthcare team. 

  • Yes, we work with self-funding families. Please contact us directly to discuss options for insurance-funded treatment. 

  • Fees vary depending on the type of appointment and clinician. We’ll provide a clear breakdown before you commit to anything. We invoice electronically and payments can be made via secure bank transfer or by debit or credit card. 

  • Yes, appointments can be scheduled to fit around school and work commitments. Let us know what works best for your family. 

  • We understand that plans change. Please let us know as early as possible if you need to reschedule, so that we can offer these in-demand appointments to someone else. Our cancellation policy will be included in our welcome information. 

  • Neale Health is an online child mental health service, led by Dr Josephine Neale, consultant child psychiatrist.

    We offer child psychiatry and therapy appointments to families anywhere in England. As all sessions are remote we are able to offer consultation to families across a wide range of regions, including Sussex, Surrey, Kent, London, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, the Midlands, and the North East, the North West and the South West.

    Whether you are based in a larger city like Brighton, Manchester or Birmingham, or in a smaller town, you can access the same level of support without needing to travel.

 FAQs

💻Online Health Care 

  • Yes, all of our assessments and treatments are delivered entirely online via secure, web-based appointments. This makes support more accessible, discreet, and flexible. You can attend from home, school, or work, as long as there’s a quiet, private space. 

     

    If face-to-face care is ever needed, we’ll help guide you to the right service. 

     

  • Don’t worry. We send advice on how best to set up for a remote consultation before we meet, and if you have difficulties during a session, we’ll help troubleshoot or reschedule if a session is disrupted. 

  • Yes, if appropriate, both parents can join the appointment, even from different locations. We’ll let you know what to expect ahead of the first appointment. 
     

  • No, we do not record clinical sessions to protect your privacy. 

 FAQs

  • You and your child will always meet Dr Josephine Neale, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, at the first appointment. Dr Neale will then co-ordinate and oversee your care, making recommendations specific to your child and family’s needs. Dr Neale works with a trusted network of experienced therapists to refer to when therapy is needed. 

  • You will meet Dr Josephine Neale, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Once we have ensured that we can see and hear each other well, you will be asked to answer a few brief questions to confirm your identity.  

    Dr Neale will outline the structure of the conversation, and we will then spend up to 90 minutes talking through the concerns that are most important to you, and what you would like to aim for. The child or young person is always offered the opportunity to spend time one-to-one with Dr Neale as part of the initial assessment, but if they prefer a parent or carer to remain present throughout, that is also fine. By the end of the assessment, Dr Neale will offer you a diagnosis (if appropriate) and discuss the treatment options and next steps with you. 

    Following the initial appointment, Dr Neale will write to your GP detailing the discussion we had, and the treatment options. You will receive a copy of this report, so don’t worry if you don’t remember everything we discussed, and there is no need to make notes during our meeting.  

  • Yes, and this is often easier when using online healthcare. Please let us know if this is something you would like us to offer during the first appointment. 

📅 The Initial Assessment 

 FAQs

💊 Treatment 

  • Here at Neale Health, we offer consultant-led care, so your first appointment will always be with a consultant psychiatrist specialising in children and young people’s mental health care. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can assess mental health difficulties, diagnose and prescribe medication where needed. Psychologists and therapists focus on talking therapies, behavioural strategies and ongoing assessment of mental health. Often, the most effective care involves both a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a different type of therapist, and our team will guide you through what is the most suitable approach for your child and family. 

  • Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child’s mental health. Depending on your child’s age and needs, we’ll discuss how involved you will be in further appointments, and we will keep you updated throughout treatment, balancing this with the need to respect your child’s confidentiality. There may be some instances in which we need to share concerns, particularly with regard to the safety of your child or others, and we will talk you through this where needed. 

  • Yes, we offer comprehensive assessments for autism and ADHD. These are tailored to each child and include input from the young person, their parents and their school. Please note that we do not offer autism and ADHD assessments as part of the initial assessment appointment, as they need to be scheduled separately. 

  • Where appropriate, we can prescribe medication as part of your child’s treatment plan. We work with Pharmacierge, a leading private pharmacy based just off Harley Street in London, to ensure prompt and secure delivery of prescriptions to your home. 

  • Neale Health is not an emergency service and we do not offer crisis care. If your child is at immediate risk, please call 999 or attend your nearest Accident & Emergency department. You can also contact your local NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), or helplines such as Childline or Samaritans.