The Student Room Group

NHS funding - where to start?

When I last saw my counsellor, she said that I should get EMDR treatment for my depression and stated that I would have to go private but she suggested that I look into NHS funding as the treatment is recommended by NICE. How would I go about applying for the funding? Are there any criteria for who would be entitled to funding (I'm 20, not technically a student, but I am low income)?

Any help would be more than welcome.

Thank you in advance.
You would need to go through a doctor, I believe. I was recently referred to a specialist clinic for my condition, which required funding, and this had to be approved by the.....possibly PCT, but I'm not a hundred percent sure.

Anyway, I think a doctor would need to put the case to the aforementioned committee, and then they provide the funding. Least that's how it was with me- my doctor had to provide a load of evidence and do paperwork and stuff to prove to them that I needed this referal.

My boyfriend is currently going through a similar thing to me and started by seeing his GP, who was then able to set the wheels in motion, so as to speak.

So...might be worth making an appointment with your GP to discuss this? Good luck.

(Hope some of that made sense!!)
Reply 2
Your counsellor has no business suggesting a private treatment - she should know if it's available locally in the NHS.

Counsellors generally help people work out what their issues are - not suggest wildly expensive therapies which are not locally available on the NHS.

If it's not available she may as well have said you should give up your job and go and live in Hawaii - possibly as effective as the therapy she suggests!

Go and see your GP and tell her/him your counsellor has said your have post traumatic streess disorder and ask whether the treatment is available.

And this leaflet suggests EMDR is one of the treatments not the only one.

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG26/publicinfo/pdf/English