Highest cost to see psychologist

PRIVATE mental health care is more expensive to access here than anywhere else in the country including London. 

Research by MyTribe Insurance Experts, a private healthcare consumer information website found the hourly cost of seeing a clinical psychologist privately is higher in Leicester than anywhere else. 

Residents of the city typically pay £164 for a session while Londoners pay £160. This is although gross, median full – time, weekly employee salaries are a third lower than in the capital, according to statistics from the Office of National Statistics.  

And unusually, at a time of unprecedented need for NHS mental health services demand in Leicester does not outstrip supply, the reason mostly attributed to higher costs. Availability is quite good with 75 per cent of practitioners taking on new clients with relatively short waiting times so it’s unclear why the city is the most expensive.  

The national average cost of a private consultation with a private psychotherapist is £129.20, with how much paid a postcode lottery. 

Rates in the East Midlands are also the second highest in the country with Nottingham the third most expensive place at £148 a session. But only fifty per cent of private psychologists are taking on new patients in the region, giving a more logical reason for the high charges. 

The Leicester – based British Association of Psychologists represents 19,000 of the UK’s 27,774 psychologists. They said they had increased their charges to help cover rises in the cost of living. 

A spokesperson said: “With the continuing postcode lottery for accessing NHS mental health support, increasing numbers are seeking out private treatment. This is causing private providers to reach capacity and are unable to take on new clients. Demand is outstripping supply on all fronts.”  

Nationally the MyTribe researchers didn’t find any overall trend between availability, waiting times and price meaning localised factors must be influencing how much people pay. 

According to research last year by mental health charity Rethink a third of people waiting for NHS mental health care are forced to go private for treatment because of long delays. 

Rethink’s said head of policy and influencing Jeremy Bernhaut said the rising cost of private therapy is ‘troubling’ and could create a two – tier system.  

“There are an estimated 1.8 million people waiting for NHS mental health care in England and the consequences are severe: suicide attempts, lost jobs and hospitalisation, which puts strain on the wider NHS,” said Mr Bernhaut. 

The number of people on the waiting list for support from NHS community-based mental health and learning disability services in England has risen from 1.56 million last year to 1.79 million today. 

Lower cost alternatives are available in the city through counselling with many practitioners qualified and accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy but are not necessarily chartered psychologists.